RESIDENTS in Tilbury rushed from their homes in the early hours of this morning (Monday, 9 August) to move their vehicles to safety after a small ruck caught fire.

The alarm was raised about the fire to the rear of Monarch Close at 4.40am after a resident was awoken by the smell of burning.

She quickly alerted emergency services and roused neighbours.

An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Firefighters were called and on arrival, crews reported that a van was on fire and extinguished it by 5:36am."