This dramatic footage shows a ferocious car fire in a residential street this morning.

Flames threatened to the spread to properties on Charlie Street in Greenside as thick black smoke poured from the black Vauxhall Corsa.

Emergency services were called by concerned residents at about 11am.

The Northern Echo: The car on fire in Greenside The car on fire in Greenside (Image: Northern Echo)The woman who called the fire brigade said: “I was coming out of the gate with the dog and I heard a funny noise.

"I did not know what it was and when I looked I saw it was the flames.

“I ran into my house and said to my husband: ‘There is a car on fire in the street’ and I dialled 999.

“I was shaking. We don’t see things like this very often around here.”

Police and a crew from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service attended and tackled the fire using  a hose reel to extinguish the flames.

The Northern Echo: Fire crews tackle the blazeFire crews tackle the blaze (Image: Northern Echo)

The Northern Echo: The car was destroyed in the fire The car was destroyed in the fire (Image: Northern Echo)Get more from The Northern Echo and stay informed with subscription now available on special offer for two months for just £2. Click here 

Watch manager Dean Batey said the cause of the fire is not yet known.

He said: “We are unsure of how it has started. We had two firefighters using breathing hose reels and breathing apparatus to extinguish it.

“There does not appear to be damage to the properties but there is a little bit of smoke damage in a lean to shed area.”           

Watch the video below to see firefighters put out the car fire