Islanders were evacuated after a fire ripped through workshops on Platts Eyot last night.

Firefighters rushed to the island on the Thames, near Hampton and opposite Hurst Park in East Molesey, at 10.20pm and discovered up to three buildings on fire.

They quickly removed gas cylinders in neighbouring workshops and pumped water from the river to put out the flames.

The fire brigade said it did not yet know what caused the blaze which burnt down 25 per cent of one building which contained a boat.

Another damaged by the flames was derelict.

A firefighter from Twickenham fire station said the crews could only access the blaze across the one pedestrian bridge. Many residents living on houseboats were unaffected as the fire was at the rear of the island.

He said: “We were there until 2am and then we had a relief crew come and take over.

“It is still being investigated. We went down this morning just to check everything is ok.”