Firefighters successfully tackled a blaze last night at a shop in Green Lane, Ilford, which was undergoing refurbishment.

Crews from Ilford, Barking and Dagenham were called to the scene at a ground-floor shop, below two flats, at 9.46pm.

Three people had left the building before the arrival of the fire brigade and nobody else was evacuated or injured.

The fire is believed to have started on the ground floor where it was contained from spreading from a rear kitchen.

Ilford crew manager Phil Jones said alterations to the building made it awkward to initially locate the fire.

The crews were at the scene until shortly after midnight.

Half the ground floor was damaged with smoke damage to the first floor flats.

There were no smoke alarms fitted in the building and the cause is still under investigation.