A warning has been issued to homeowners after a late-night attempt at cooking resulted in a call out for firefighters.

A crew from St Neots Fire Station are calling on residents to steer clear of cooking while intoxicated after a man was rescued from his house on Sunday.

The fire service was called at 3.10am to reports of a smoke alarm sounding in Henbrook.

Watch Commander Jon-Paul Jones said: “When we arrived neighbours had smashed the front window and gained entry to the property, rescuing a man who was asleep on the sofa following a night out.

“The gentleman had returned home and put some chips in the oven and fallen asleep. Luckily, the fire was contained to only the chips and caused light smoke logging the property.”

No firefighting was required and the crew returned to their station by 3.45am.

Watch Commander Jones added: “There are two very important safety messages here: firstly, never cook whilst intoxicated. Steer well clear of the oven, grill, hob – anything that could potentially result in a fire occurring. Instead, it’s best to get a take away if you are hungry after a night out or make a sandwich.

“This incident also highlights the importance of having a working smoke alarm, to help raise the alarm if not to yourself then to other householders around you.”

If you know someone who is vulnerable in the community who you think would benefit from a free home fire safety check, call us on 0800 9179994 or log on to www.cambsfire.gov.uk