Video footage has emerged of an ice-cream van which burst into flames outside schools.

Two fire crews were sent to the scene in Normanton Park, Chingford, at just after midday yesterday. 

The van was parked between the sixth form building at Heathcote Secondary School and Whitehall Primary School. 

Firefighters spent more than two-and-a-half hours at the scene.

The majority of time was spent cooling a propane cyclinder which is believed to have been the cause of the fire. 

Neighbours reported hearing loud bangs, and one resident in Wyemead Crescent said they "thought it was a gunshot" before looking outside and seeing the flames. 

Mother-of-two Heidi Harris, 37, of Whitehall Gardens, Chingford, was driving home when she saw smoke near Whitehall Primary School, where both her daughters attend. 

She said: "I thought 'God it's near the school'. It was awful, the van was completely alight and utterly destroyed. It could not have been salvaged at all. 

"The ice cream man had managed to get out and was in the college. 

"I see him all the time selling sweets and hotdogs. He parks in the same place every day without fail. 

"It is such a shame as this was his livelihood."

Nicola O'Connor, 43, and her 20-year-old son Jajay live opposite Whitehall Primary School and filmed the burning ice-cream van on their smartphones. 

Mrs O'Connor said: "It was a fully-fledged fire. I could see paramedics running up-and-down the street. It took a good 25 minutes before the fire engines arrived. 

"The headmistresses from both schools came out and the road was fully tapped off for a good few hours." 

London Fire Brigade said they received the call at 11.51am and were at the scene by 12.02pm.

Heathcote Secondary School said the ice cream van is owned by a private contractor and frequently parks in Normanton Park, but generally in the afternoon after school.  

The burnt-out van towed away shortly after being hosed down.