A fire which badly damaged a home in Hook Rise North is believed to have been caused by a hairdryer that was left on.

Four fire crews were called to the blaze at about 7.30pm on Friday after smoke was seen billowing from the house, near the A3 roundabout, and the fire was under control at 8.09pm.

A first-floor bedroom was destroyed by fire and the rest of the upper floor was smoke damaged.

Fire investigators said they believed a hairdryer had been left on when the electricity cut out and came back to life once the electricity meter had been recharged, starting a fire in the bedroom.

There were no functioning smoke alarms in the property.

Two men were treated for smoke inhalation by the London Ambulance Service and were taken to hospital.

A spokesman from the London Fire Brigade said some people tried to tackle the blaze themselves but were beaten back by the heat and smoke.

He said: “If you have a fire in your home; get out, stay out and call 999 immediately.

“Never tackle it yourself, always leave it to the professionals.”