A children's charity has offered its support to shop staff left unable to work after a fire at a shopping centre.

Around 125 firefighters and 25 fire engines spent hours tackling a blaze in the roof of The Mall in Selborne Road, Walthamstow, yesterday morning.

With several shops set for long closures, the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust is reaching out to staff who now face unpaid time off work.

The trust supports parents who work, or have worked, in fashion and textiles with grants to buy essential items for their children.

This means any parents or carers working for companies that sell clothes - including supermarkets that sell clothing - footwear, soft furnishings, sportswear or outdoor equipment made from fabrics qualify for help.

The trust's director Anna Pangbourne said: “Our thoughts are with all staff affected by the fire in Walthamstow. Circumstances like this are exactly why our charity was established in 1853 and today we stand ready to support any parents affected by this incident.

“As this is an especially expensive time of year for parents, with the extra cost associated with the summer holidays and the new academic year round the corner, it is especially important we make contact with as many affected parents as possible so that we can establish how we can best support them.”

Any staff working in fashion and textile retailers can call the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust on 0300 123 9002 or visit https://www.ftct.org.uk/walthamstow-mall-fire-grants for more information.

Emergency services are expected to continue to work at Selborne Road today. The road will remain closed until this is completed.

The owners of the Mall, Capital & Regional, today issued this statement to investors: “The fire at The Mall was effectively brought under control yesterday afternoon and we are enormously grateful to the London Fire Brigade for their efforts in achieving this.

"The site is currently being examined by the Fire Brigade, Police and representatives of Waltham Forest Council. Once this process is complete, and working alongside our insurers, we will be given access to the site to undertake a thorough assessment of the damage, what work is required to make reparations and whether parts of the centre can be opened in advance of commencement of these works.

“Our aim is to commence these initiatives as soon as practicably possible and will provide a further update once they are concluded, but we cannot speculate on when that will be at this stage. The centre is fully insured for both replacement and loss of income, consistent with our policy across the portfolio.”