An outdoor plug socket exploded and caught fire in the garden of a Colchester home.

Two crews from Essex County Fire & Rescue Service were called to an address in Redwood Close shortly after 5pm on Thursday.

The fire was extinguished in around 20 minutes.

Firefighters believe the fire was caused by an outdoor socket that had been affected by water.

Crew manager Andy Edwards, from Colchester fire station, said: "If you’re going to be using outdoor plug sockets, make sure you don’t overload the plug sockets with more power than they can take.

"Make sure the socket housing is closed properly to prevent water affecting the sockets and make sure all electrical items outside are suitable for outdoor use."

The incident came after a faulty battery exploded and caused a house fire in a village near Halstead earlier this week.