A CHARITY shop has had to close temporarily following a fire.

A bag of clothes and books left outside the Haven House charity shop, in Chingford Mount Road was ablaze shortly after midnight this morning and the heat caused a window pane to break.

Neither the police or fire brigade consider the fire to be suspicious but the shop's staff and volunteers believe it could have been arson.

The shop raises money for Haven House children's hospice in High Road, Woodford Green.