PICTURES have captured the dramatatic moment flames ripped through a flat above a restaurant.

Photographer Raymond Hawkins was walking home from Blackhorse Road tube station along Forest Road when he saw the fire break out.

He said he could see people leaving the Oregano restaurant, near Blackhorse Road, to escape the fire at 1.20pm today (Friday).

His pictures show the flames reaching up through the flat above the restaurant and out through the roof.

The 63-year-old said: "I could see billowing smoke from the roof top. It got darker and it was getting higher.

"The flames were very intense coming from the windows in the flats above.

"Within minutes they took hold of the building."

After someone called the fire brigade, Mr Hawkins rushed to his home nearby to grab his camera.

By the time he returned, four fire engines and about 40 fire fighters were on the scene.

He said: "All the traffic had been stopped and there was quite a big crowd building.

"I took a few pictures. The flames were even higher now.

"The fire fighters were assessing what to do and were preparing the hoses.

"I've seen fires before, but never in this area."

It is not known whether there was anyone evacuated from the flats above.

A large section of Forest Road was closed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.