Residents were lucky to escape unharmed after sunlight on a mirror caused a desk to catch alight at an Essex property.

Firefighters were called to a blaze at the two-storey home in Walton-on-the-Naze shortly after 11am on Sunday, December 2.

The fire was sparked by sunlight on a bedroom mirror, which caused a desk to catch alight.

Two engines were rushed to the scene in Third Avenue, where crews used a saw to cutaway the area of the desk that had been affected, before using ventilation fans to clear the room of smoke.

Fortunately, no-one was injured and the house has escaped major damage.

A spokesman for Essex County Fire & Rescue Service said: “This incident shows how easy it is for magnifying or reflective objects to cause fires. Please ensure there are no such objects on your window sils or anywhere in your home where they are in direct sunlight.

“This property also had no smoke alarms fitted - meaning the occupants weren’t alerted as quickly as they may otherwise have been.

“If you don’t have any working smoke alarms in your home, we’ll fit them for free - simply visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book to arrange your home fire safety visit.”