RESIDENTS were evacuated from their homes this morning after fire broke out in a block of flats in Gosport.

Scores of pyjama-clad young families with children, couples and family pets were led to safety by firefighters after the blaze tore through the five- storey building.

More than 40 firefighters were needed to bring the fire in Winchfield House, South Street under control.

Meanwhile, residents, who had initially gathered in the street, were being looked after at the nearby Gosport police station. No one was injured in the incident.

One devastated father who was forced to flee his top-floor home he shares with his family returned to the scene at 8am in a bid to save his four-year-old son's birthday present.

The 25-year-old, who was the first person to alert the fire brigade to the incident, waited patiently as firefighters managed to find a small yellow cycle for the youngster which they had kept in the flat.

The man, who asked not to be named, said: "I woke up when the woman living near me was banging on the door of our flat saying there was a fire in her house. I went round the block banging and waking everyone up.

"This has ruined my son's birthday and we've just lost everything in our house."

Another couple at the scene, both aged 19, were desperate to learn whether their belongings were safe.

The 19-year-old woman, who works in a Fareham laundry, has missed out on a day's pay today and needs to return to get a change of clothes.

Devastated householders in the two and three-bedroomed flats believe many of their belongings will have been destroyed in the blaze, and a number say they are not insured.

Today families face an anxious wait to see what can be salvaged from the wreckage and whether they will be able to return to their homes.

Others whose flats were left uninhabitable will have to be rehoused.

Crews from Fareham and Gosport were first on the scene and soon called in colleagues from across the county. A total of 40 firefighters tackled the flames.

Eyewitness Peter Edgar, a taxi driver, spoke of the scene.

Mr Edgar, who is also a borough councillor, said: "Smoke was filling South Street and there were flames coming out of the roof area. It's a relief that no one was hurt."

The top floor and roof of the five-storey building were badly damaged by fire, smoke and water.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.