A block of flats in Sutton was evacuated this morning after a suspected arson attack.

Some 10 people from five flats in Manor Court, in Benhill Wood Road, were told to leave their homes shortly after 3.30am by firefighters fighting a blaze in a storage room in a communal area of the block.

Two fire engines and 10 firefighters tackled the blaze in the ground floor room, which was full of disused furniture.

Gordon Baillie, Red Watch manager at Sutton fire station, said: "The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but arson is certainly a line of inquiry."

He said the fire did not spread from the store room, but the flats were evacuated because of the smoke which had filled the block.

Residents were able to return to their homes within an hour once the fire was out and the smoke cleared.

Electricity supplier EDF Energy were called to the scene to make electrics in the block safe.

Firefighters left the scene at 6am.