Smoke rolled down the Thames last night when a houseboat caught fire just off the Battersea Park bank.

Firefighters from Battersea station rushed to the scene at around 8pm when passers by reported flames ripping through the vessel.

Ambulance staff were also on stand-by, but no-one was injured as the owner of the converted Royal Navy Minesweeper was away on shore.

Fire crews from Chelsea put out the fire from the other side of the river using a fire boat.

Battersea crew manager Paul Alden said: “When we came over Battersea Bridge the smoke was coming all down the Thames and the embankment.”