Two horses died after a fire at stables in Upminster.

A single storey stable block was destroyed by the blaze, in Hall Lane, which firefighters were called to just before 4.40am on Sunday (May 2).

One horse was led to safety by a staff member at the stables before fire crews arrived, but two other horses died at the scene.

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Harold Hill, Hornchurch, Romford and Dagenham fire stations attended the fire and brought it under control in around one hour.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said the cause of the blaze is undetermined, but "thought to have been caused by either an electrical failure or self-heating event".