Fire crews battled for hours to extinguish a blaze that was tearing through a group of Chessington shops yesterday afternoon.

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called just after 3pm to the fire at a shop with flats above it on Hook Road.

Part of the ground floor and first floor were damaged by the fire and half of the roof and loft conversion were damaged.

A small part of the roof of an adjoining shop was also damaged as well as a single storey lean-to at the rear of the property.

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Picture: Michael Bates

Five people left the building before the London Fire Brigade arrived. One man was treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews.

An LFB spokesman said the fire was under control by 6.19pm.

Fire crews from Sutton, Kingston, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Twickenham and surrounding stations were at the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.