A student has described the moment a burning car filled a quiet street with smoke “higher than the houses”.

Jason Phillips, 20, was in a friend’s garden in Barrington Road, Crouch End when he noticed huge smoke clouds shortly after 1.20pm on Friday, July 3.

The Leeds University journalism student said: “We could start smelling smoke, and I heard something that sounded like a gun shot. I thought it was someone playing about or whatever, but the smoke started getting heavier and heavier, and started seeping into the garden.

“We ran to the front of the house, and there was a car broken down on the corner. No one was in there, and there were flames coming out the front like there was no tomorrow.

“Someone called the fire brigade, it was getting heavier and heavier with smoke absolutely everywhere. It could have been an absolute disaster, as it was next to parked cars and loads of electrical stuff. There was a massive smoke cloud, higher than the houses.

“The police came and told everyone to get inside, and shortly after the fire brigade came. They were there for about 20 minutes hosing it down.”

Mr Phillips, of Finchley Road, Golders Green, met the owner of the car 40 minutes later.

He added: “They said they were driving the car and it set on fire. They literally stopped where they could and ran out. The car is an unbelievable write off.”

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade confirmed firefighters were called to the scene at 1.21pm.