Neighbours living opposite the nursery in Twickenham which was damaged by flames in the early hours of Thursday (May 12) morning have spoken of the early morning battle to put out the flames.

Twickenham Park Day Nursery, spread over two floors in the building in Cambridge Road, was damaged after a fire on the ground floor. Firefighters were called out at 3.21am and had the blaze under control by 4.20am.

The nursery, which is run by Eaton Square School in Pimlico and takes children under the age of three and others up to the age of five in the pre-school area, was closed on Thursday morning while fire investigators tried to figure out the cause of the blaze.

Graham Neden-Watts lives opposite the nursery. His four-year-old, the youngest of three children, usually attends the nursery meaning Mr Neden-Watts was forced to work from home.

'Bloody noisy'

Fire officers investigate after a fire at Twickenham Park Day Nursery on Thursday

He said: “There were no sirens but it was bloody noisy. There were fire engines down the street at 3.30am.

"They stopped outside the house and they didn’t go away, I could hear lots of shouting and banging so got up to see what was happening.

"I didn’t get much sleep and the children were very excited. It was noisy for an hour so, and they were still there at 7am. You couldn’t see flames or smoke but you could smell the smoke.

“I’ve been told the fire was in the kitchen, it was something like an electric installation in the building rather than an appliance. My four-year-old should be there now but obviously he isn’t so I’m working from home.”

A Fire Investigation vehicle outside the nursery in Twickenham on May 12

Sally Hollis was sleeping downstairs tending to young chicks.

She said: “It was quite noisy and I was woken up, but I didn’t bother looking outside, I just went to the kitchen and got water.

"I noticed the electricity had been cut, and probably came back on at about 7 this morning.”

London Fire Brigade said a man left his flat above the nursery before they arrived at the scene. He was not hurt.

It also said the fire was not believed to have been started deliberately.

Eaton Square School has been contacted by getwestlondon.

The aftermath of a fire at Twickenham Park Day Nursery, in Cambridge Road, Twickenham