A PUB landlord and his family were evacuated from their home in the early hours of this morning because of a fire involving a gas cylinder.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at the back of the George Staples pub, Blackfen Road, Sidcup, just after midnight.

Two garages behind the pub, formerly called The Woodman, were destroyed by the fire.

The pub’s occupants were evacuated because of the risk of a gas cylinder exploding

Fire crews from Sidcup, Bexley, Eltham and Lee Green attended the incident.

Police are investigating the cause of the fire.