An elderly woman has been taken to hospital after nine people were evacuated from a flat fire.

The sixth floor flat fire in Ayley Croft, Bush Hill Park, badly damaged the woman's home in the tower block.

Four fire engines, twenty firefighters along with police and ambulance crews were on the scene.

The elderly woman was taken to North Middlesex Hospital, in Edmonton, for smoke inhalation.

The brigade was called at 2.57pm to the blaze and the fire was under control by 3.47pm.

Station manager Sean Madeley, who was at the scene, said people living in other parts of the block which were unaffected by the fire had done the safest thing by staying inside their own flats.

He said: "Our crews worked hard to get this fire quickly under control and contain it to the affected flat. Nine people from neighbouring flats who were affected by smoke from the fire were led to safety by firefighters. 

"The rest of the people in the block, who weren't being affected by the fire, stayed put in their own flats which was absolutely the right thing to do.

"If you live in a high rise or purpose built block and the fire is elsewhere in the building staying inside your own flat is the safest thing to do unless the heat or smoke is directly affecting you. Purpose-built flats are designed to give you protection from fire for between 30 and 60 minutes."