Fire ripped through a house in North Weald overnight.

Firefighters were called just after 2.30am to the High Road near Tyler's Green where they reported that the first floor and the roof of the house were “100 per cent alight”.

Fire engines from Epping and Waltham Abbey, and two from Loughton, had the blaze under control just before 5am, but crews continued to put out “hot-spots” later into the morning.

Fire inspectors are revisiting the scene this morning as part of an investigation into the cause of the blaze.