A woman managed to get out of her car just seconds before it exploded.

The incident happened at 12.20pm today outside the BP garage on St Dunstan’s Hill, North Cheam.

Freelance journalist Jacqueline Salerno, 46, from North Cheam, heard the fire brigade while she was working from home and looked out the window.

She said: “All of a sudden, within two seconds, there was an explosion. But luckily no-one was going past.

“The lady driving got out in time - I would say four seconds before the explosion.”

New Malden green watch manager, Ray Foster, attended and said: “We were called to St Dunstan's Hill by the A217 south bound in Sutton at 11.55am.

“The lady was driving and she had the heater on in her car. After a while it started to smell of burning plastic and then smoke started coming through the passenger compartment. She got out of the car and the car was just engulfed in flames.

“It was so severe the fire, the engine dropped out of the car. The police cordoned off the road, it was a spectacular fire.

“She was a college student and all her assignments were in the car. Plus £200 worth of make-up.

“The funny thing was after we took care of the fire we got her make-up bag out. The make-up was still intact – it was amazing.”

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