Neighbours rushed to help put out a blaze started deliberately at a house last night.

Residents in Dowdeswell Close threw buckets of water at a climbing plant, that was believed to have been set on fire by young people.

Richmond fire fighters were called at 10.25pm, but due to the efforts of the neighbours, a lot of the fire had been dealt with by the time they arrived.

A Richmond fire fighter said: "The locals all chipped in and helped out throwing water on the fire.

"It was a close call that the roof would have gone up. It was very close to the roof."