A "devastating" fire has ripped through the clubhouse of one of Britain's most historic rugby clubs, turning iconic memorabilia into mere ashes.
Penarth RFC, one of Wales' oldest rugby clubs, is known as the spiritual home of the Barbarians, with the two sides playing 75 matches against each other from 1901 to 1986.
The small community club, located in south Wales, was founded in 1880 and is lined with rich history.
The club has contributed over a dozen players to the Welsh rugby team throughout its 145-year history, starting with Richard Garrett back in 1888.
But it was the annual Good Friday fixture against the Barbarians that was the club's highlight every year.
The famous team started their tour of Wales at Penarth every year, and, for a team that has no so-called "home", often saw Penarth as their spiritual abode.
Former South African rugby captain and Barbarian Gary Teichmann unveiled a commemorative plaque in 2001 to celebrate 100 years of their special relationship.
But 145 years of iconic history and memories have been sadly destroyed in a terrifying fire that ripped through the building in the early hours of Monday morning.
A 'devastating' fire has ripped through the clubhouse of one of Wales' most historic rugby clubs, turning iconic memorabilia into mere ashes
|Emergency services were first called to the scene after reports that the clubhouse was "well alight".
Fire investigators confirmed that the blaze was caused by an electrical fault.
A Springbok head, presented by the Barbarians after they beat South Africa 6-0 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1961, was just one of the items destroyed in the fire.
Gareth Hubback and David Carter, who co-chair the club, said they were "tremendously grateful" for the response from the fire service and residents.
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All memorabilia from the club's 145-year history was destroyed in the blaze
|"We will work hard to recover as quickly as possible," they said.
Mr Hubback added that the fire had been mainly contained to the bar area, but the loss of club memorabilia remains the biggest source of devastation for the club.
"Memorabilia can't be replaced, so we're devastated for those," he said. "You can't put a cost on memories."
The fire was first brought to the authorities' attention at around 5am, when locals Alison Jones and husband, Alistair, were awoken by the blaze.
They said that four fire engines turned up "within five minutes".
The fire was able to be maintained before reaching the historic stand, according to Ms Jones.
In a social media post, the club said the local community was "in a state of shock".
"So many memories have been lost, but thankfully no one was hurt," the club said.
Penarth RFC chairman, Sean O'Sullivan, described the blaze as "horrific", but said the support from neighbouring rugby clubs and others had been "amazing".
"It is devastating for the community, and for the rugby club," he said, adding that it could cost about "half a million" to repair the damage, and suggested much of the building "doesn't look saveable".
It took emergency services around three hours to put the fire out
|"We'll just have to crack and see what we can do," he said. "There'll be insurance, there'll be fundraising - and we'll just get on with it."
Penarth Athletic Club is home to local cricket and hockey teams, as well as the rugby club.
They said they are "assessing the full extent of the damage" in order to devise a "plan to minimise disruption to Penarth Rugby Club, Penarth Cricket Club, Penarth Ladies' Hockey Club."
The Welsh Rugby Union said it had visited the club to "provide our support", adding they will continue to support the club during its "rebuild" and vowed to "ensure it is returned to its former glory".
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