Homes had to be evacuated in Newbury Park after a grass fire.

London Fire Brigade took 37 calls to the blaze, which happened yesterday afternoon (August 7) in Oaks Lane.

A spokesperson said police evacuated "a number of properties" in the road, with five horses also being led to safety. There were no reported injuries.

A 15-hectare area of farmland was badly damaged by the fire, which crews had under control by 6.55pm.

One Oaks Lane resident, Winston Winand, said only the road stopped the flames reaching houses.

According to Winston, the flames ended up near the Newbury Park Masjid mosque.

Ilford Recorder: A fire engine at the sceneA fire engine at the scene (Image: London Fire Brigade)

He said there had never been a grassland fire there before, adding: "Where I was you could hear the crackling of the flames and the panicking horses.

"The residents opposite may have been very scared watching the fire come towards them from the field.

"People were banging on doors where I live but I could see the fire was going from north to south.

"I didn't need to evacuate in the end but I certainly got ready."

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting tweeted his thanks to the Met Police and London Fire Brigade for their response to the fire and the "swift" evacuation of residents.

It represents the latest in a number of grass fires across east London this summer.

On July 30, flames burnt around one hectare of grass and scrubland in an area of Epping Forest off Snaresbrook Road.

Last month's hot temperatures saw fires devastate homes in both Dagenham and Wennington.

The London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The warmer weather we have been having makes the ground extremely dry, which unfortunately means grassland, parks, undergrowth and woodlands will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

“We don’t want people to be complacent and that means not barbecuing in parks and open spaces, ensuring cigarettes are properly disposed of and clearing away rubbish and glass as they can magnify the sun and cause a fire.”

Fire crews from Barking, Dagenham, Ilford, Romford and other surrounding fire stations were at the scene.