In the week after a fire ripped through four homes police and fire crews are investigating how it started.

At around 11.30am Town Mayor Mick Fitch's house on Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey caught alight.

Crews from five stations rushed to the scene, where they found flames spread 50m across the roof spaces of four semi-detached properties.

The road and the nearby Leverton Primary School were closed, with pupils evacuated to a nearby Marriott Hotel so they would avoid inhaling the thick smoke that hung over the area.

Firefighters battled the blaze from height using an areal ladder until 8pm, when the fire was declared out.

As part of enquiries into the cause of the fire, Essex Police wants to speak to witnesses who have yet to come forward, particularly a man who was seen filming the incident.

Contact Loughton CID on 101 quoting reference 42/68968/18