TWO people escaped from a burning restaurant in Woodford Green before fire-fighters arrived at the scene.

Half of the first floor of the restaurant in Hale End Road was destroyed by the blaze.

Fire crews were called to the scene at 1.45pm yesterday (Friday) and extinguished the blaze at 2.16pm.

Fire-fighters from Chingford, Woodford, and Walthamstow attended.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.