Owner Jeremy Coleman surveys the burnt beams In pictures: Blue anchor fire

The Blue Anchor, at East Aberthaw near Llantwit Major, was severely damaged in a dramatic blaze in February.

A timber contractor has now been lined up to install natural oak beams to support a new thatched roof, as work to return it to its former glory begins.

Owner Jeremy Coleman, whose family have run the pub since 1941, hopes to reopen in September.

He said the work would try to ensure that the fire never happened again.

"Because we are starting a new shell, we will be able to put fire resistant products between the timbers and the thatch," he said.

The pub will be restored to its former glory

"It will give about an hour's burning time so hopefully, if we ever have the problem again, it won't spread down through the building so quickly."

However, he admitted there was no way to completely eliminate the danger.

"When you have a thatched building, there is always a risk you are going to have a fire."

The scaffolding and a huge tent structure to protect the building's shell was up within days of the blaze, but work could not begin before plans were passed and workers secured.

"It is a listed building - we have had to use a conservation architect," added Mr Coleman.

"It is a lot more complicated than a rebuild on a house," he said, but added "a lot of care and craftsmanship" was going into the project.

"We will have a super building when it is finished.

"I don't think people will know there has been a fire."

Pints of beer stand half-drunk on the darkened bar

And Mr Coleman, for one will be glad to get back to his usual routine behind the bar.

"It is a bit of a shock to the system not having to get up for work in the mornings and going to bed late at night," he said.

Mr Coleman says that as well as support from locals, he has received messages from as far away as America and Australia.

"We've had loads and loads of letters and cards, and are still getting them with people saying how sorry they are."