A GARAGE containing fireworks and a gas cylinder was engulfed in flames last night after a car fire started by arsonists spread to the building.

The blaze was started in an Audi parked behind the garage in Brownsea Drive, Wickford and rapidly spread to neighbouring vehicles before igniting the garage and setting off the 12 rockets stored within as leftovers from Guy Fawkes night celebrations on November 5.

One fire engine from Wickford and two from Basildon attended the incident, which attracted a large crowd of onlookers, though no homes were evacuated.

Gary Hastings, a station officer at Basildon, said a Fiat 500 car was also in the garage, while the gas cylinder was for use with a barbecue.

He said: "We were there for an hour and a half. Probably half that time was spent extinguishing the fire and there were concerns that the roof of the garage was going to collapse so we have had to do some safety bits and bobs and let everybody who lives next door know about it."

The Audi was parked in a communal area behind the garage.