Fire crews were called to deal with a sinking narrow boat that started filling with water after reportedly crashing through a protective boom.

Firefighters from Leyton, Stoke Newington, Walthamstow, Euston and Bethnal Green, were called to the River Lea near Lea Bridge Road, yesterday evening (August 26) at 5.30pm.

The occupants of the canal boat managed to get off the boat before emergency services arrived.

Walthamstow station manager Jim Hewett was at the scene.

He said: "There was a narrow boat moored to the bank that was taking on water, but there were no occupants and no one was at risk."

Three fire engines and two fire rescue units were sent to the scene.

They stood down at just before 6.10pm.

London Fire Brigade said its control room received 400 calls in the space of three hours yesterday as a result of flash flooding and torrential downpours that have battered parts of London this week.