AN elderly couple and a teenage boy have been made homeless following a fire in Grays last night.

Firefighters were called to Highfield Gardens at around 11.10pm to tackle a blaze in the roof of a semi-detached bungalow. Six crews from Grays, Orsett and Brentwood reported that 50 per cent of the roof was alight and the property was 100 per cent smoke logged.

Firefighters had to strip back the roof tiles to reach the fire in the roof space and the adjoining bungalow also became smoke logged.

A couple in their seventies and a 15-year-old boy were made homeless as a result of the fire.

The Red Cross Emergency Support vehicle was requested to the incident to assist the residents.

The fire was extinguished by around 1.15am.

The cause of the fire is not known - Essex Fire and Police are set to carry out an investigation into the cause.