A road through Elstead was closed after a car burst into flames and several explosions were heard near the village tennis club.

Firefighters and police were called to Millford Road at around 2pm today (Friday, August 14), with Surrey Fire and Rescue and Surrey Police attending the scene.

The car caught fire as the driver was travelling towards Thursley. Nobody was seriously hurt in the fire.

Residents helped divert traffic away from the scene.

A resident living near where the incident happened said: “The driver was driving down Millford Road towards Thursley when they thought they had a flat tyre but it turned out it was a fire.

“Luckily a police car was in the area at the time and helped close off the road. There were small explosions in the car, about four or five, and we feared a similar event to what has happened in New Forest, where a van caught fire, subsequently setting alight the forest around it.

“There are lots of hedges and trees so we feared they could catch fire as well, but luckily the fire and rescue service have the situation under control.”

A spokesperson for Surrey Fire and Rescue said: “We were alerted to reports of a vehicle fire today on Milford Road, Elstead at 1:07pm. Four fire engines were in attendance. One vehicle and a trailer were involved. There were no casualties. We left the scene at approximately 2:39pm, in the hands of the police.”

A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: At approximately 1.10pm today, officers attended an incident at Milford Road, Elstead, near the junction with Ham Lane and Springfield Lane, where they assisted colleagues from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service at the scene of a car fire.

“The fire was safely put out and no one was hurt.”