FIVE people were forced to flee after a fire started in their garden and spread to their home.

The two men, a woman and two children, got themselves out of their house in Petersham Drive, Orpington, before calling the fire brigade to tackle the blaze.

It took crews from Orpington, Sidcup and Bromley around an hour to put out the flames after arriving at the scene at around 5.15am last Tuesday (March 6).

The cause of the fire is now under investigation.

Watch manager Tony Head from Orpington Fire Station said: “Thankfully no was injured and everybody got out quickly.

“If you have a fire remember this simple phase, get out, stay out and call 999.

“Fire crews worked extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading further and managed to put the fire out in just over an hour.“