THE Cutty Sark has been hit by another fire.

London Fire Brigade said a small part of the 19th-century clipper ship was damaged by the fire.

The historic vessel, sited in Greenwich in south-east London, is open as usual to visitors today.

Firefighters were called at just after 7.30am yesterday and got the small fire under control. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The Cutty Sark was reopened by the Queen in April 2012, five years after it was ravaged by fire.

The 2007 fire was caused by an industrial vacuum cleaner being left switched on for two days while a conservation project was carried out to repair Cutty Sark's iron framework.

The ship's masts, saloon and deckhouses had been removed and put into storage in Kent when the fire took hold.