Quick-thinking shop workers used fire extinguishers and buckets of water to help put out a fire before firefighters arrived.

Three fire crews were called to Bridge Road in East Molesey at about 10.30am today, but neighbours had already jumped to the rescue after wooden decking above In Harmony Spirit and Balance salon caught light.

Josie Collings, who lives in Bridge Road, said: "We are a very close community here and as soon as the alert was sent, everybody jumped to it and got on with putting it out.

"I live seven doors up and saw the black smoke a minute after it started, we couldn't believe it, but in the three minutes it took for us to get down there to help, the other guys were in full swing.

Surrey Comet:

The damage caused by the fire. Pic credit: Josie Collings

"The fire service of course are brilliant in what they do and I have every respect for risking their own lives every day, but if it wasn't for the community coming together quickly, the fire service would have had a much bigger and more dangerous problem on their hands - as the fire trucks cannot access this lane in any way."

Surrey Fire and Rescue said earlier today that firefighters were damping down the affected parts of the building to make sure flames did not re-ignite.