Kind colleagues of a builder who lost tools left to him by his dead father in a freak van fire have enabled him to return to work.

Surrey Comet:

The charred remains of the van after firefighters from Epsom Fire Station extinguished the fire

Pearce Kenyon, 29, of Selwood Road, Chessington, a director at Able 2 Build, was driving between jobs at around 8.20am on Friday, November 13, when he noticed smoke pouring out of his van’s dashboard.

From Friday: VIDEO: Van goes up in flames in Ewell this morning as schoolchildren film on their phones

He pulled over in Marsh Avenue, Epsom to inspect under the bonnet just seconds before the cab was consumed by flames.

The van was full of more than £3,000 worth of tools - some of which with priceless sentimental value as they were left to him by his father Ford Kenyon, 66, who died last October.

Mr Kenyon also lost his track motorcycle, which he was planning to ride on Saturday morning.

He is yet to hear back from the insurance company about how much will be covered but is trying to carry on as normal in the meantime.

He said: "The worst thing was that some of the tools were ones left to me by my dad who died last year.

"It didn’t really sink in until Monday morning and I tried to get to work with what few tools I had left.

"I’m fortunate to have a lot of friends who are also builders who have lent me tools, and my co-workers have lent me some as well."

Surrey Comet:

Mr Kenyon’s burning van was parked between Glyn School in The Kingsway and Blenheim High School in Longmead Road, and a large crowd of school children gathered to watch on Friday morning before making their way to lessons.

Witness Patrick McCarthy, 44, a sales director from adjacent Gibraltar Crescent, filmed the fire on his mobile phone.

He said: "I had heard fire engines going off just as my son was leaving for school.

"It was not really properly alight when I first saw it, then it went up very quickly.

"A fire engine arrived and they just very casually whipped out the hoses and put it out. It was very good.

"They were very efficient at putting it out. It was quite exciting."

Firefighters from Epsom fire station were called to Marsh Avenue at 8.20am.