Snooker legend Jimmy White was 'gutted' after losing 'everything but his cue' in a flat fire yesterday.

The Whirlwind tweeted 'Fire at my flat this morning. Everything gone. Gutted. Cue was in car and most importantly no one hurt', following the fire in Alexandra Road.

Firefighters scaling an aerial platform ladder rescued one person from a third-floor flat yesterday morning. Fourteen people and a cat were evacuated, Surrey Fire and Rescue confirmed.

Crews from Epsom, Banstead, Leatherhead, Reigate, Painshill, Walton, Esher, Sutton and Surbiton fire stations were called to the fire at Alexandra Mansions in Alexandra Road, Epsom at 10am.

The fire had spread from the flat to the roof space, a spokesman from Epsom fire station said. Crews had also used an aerial platform ladder to reach the blaze.

All people in the flat are accounted for, Surrey Police stated.

Your Local Guardian:

Tony Clarke, assistant branch manager at building materials supplier Jewson, was doing a site visit opposite the flats as fire engines arrived to fight the blaze.

“There was lots and lots of smoke coming out of the top floor flat around the back,” he said.

“It took them a while to get any water into it because they were looking into a safe way to enter.

“One of the guys was going up on an aerial crane, and he said it was pitch black because of the smoke. He couldn’t see into it because it was so dark.”

Your Local Guardian:

Mr Clarke said he believed an old lady was worried about her cat trapped inside her flat a few doors down, but firefighters had deemed it sufficiently far away to be safe.

He added that his colleague lent a spare pair of boots to a lady being evacuated along with her young son as she was barefoot when she was ushered out of the building.

The Upper High Street was closed in both ways between the junction with Mill Road and Church Road and the B288 Bridge Road. Alexandra Road was also closed.

Transport for London (TfL)  adivsed that the traffic congestion has since been resolved.

More to follow.