Surbiton's fire engine is off the road this afternoon because a firefighter has been sent for a routine medical, a union has claimed.

The firefighter was sent to the medical at 12pm and will not be back until 5pm, leaving the fire crew understaffed and 'off the run' with just four members.

London Fire Brigade said Surbiton and Tolworth were being covered by another fire engine which would be in the station in Ewell Road this afternoon.

Paul Neale, Kingston and Richmond representative of the Fire Brigades Union, said: "Normally someone else would come from another station.

"Today they have said no-one is coming and there' no-one available.

"I can't understand why we haven't got enough people. Are we that short of staff to get one person to come in and keep one machine on the run."

He also claimed that a request to delay the medical had been declined.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: "There will be arrangements for fire cover and it always takes into account stations being unavailable for training or if Kingston were having a fire somewhere else.

"Fire cover is always provided so to say there's no fire cover is not correct."