Hundreds of New Year's Eve revellers were evacuated from a pub before it was largely gutted by a fire that reportedly started when a candle was used to light a branch on a Christmas tree.

Around 340 customers and 12 staff fled The Aeronaut pub in Acton, west London, when the blaze broke out at around 12.30am.

Acton police station, next door to the pub in High Street, was also evacuated as a precautionary measure.