SHOPKEEPERS in Wood Street are angry that flytipping which they had asked the council to remove went up in flames.

Bags of waste and a wheelie bin were dumped in the pavement outside Perfect Hair Salon, in Wood Street.

Nicholas Kattirtzis, who runs an accountancy practice next to Perfect Hair, reported the problem last Tuesday, but nothing was done about it.

He said: “It was all over the pavement, blocking people's way and it looked a mess. Now there has been a fire there.”

Maureen Uyinnwea, manager of the Perfect Hair Salon, said: “The waste has caused flies and has been an eyesore, the council should have sorted it out before now.”

At about 5.50am yesterday a London Fire Brigade crew extinguished a fire in the discarded bin.

It is not clear whether the fire was an arson attempt, but it is not believed any of the shopkeeper's have reported the matter to the police.