One man was rescued from a shed fire by caused by a weed burner catching alight, firefighters say.

Crews were called to the incident in Gloucester Avenue in Maldon just after 2.35pm yesterday, Monday September 6, to reports the shed, which was approximately six metres by four metres, was ablaze.

Watch manager Martin Cable from Maldon Fire Station said: “Crews acted quickly to treat the man’s burns while we waited for our colleagues in the Ambulance Service.

On arrival, crews reported that a man had burns to his back and legs and immediately began to give him first aid while waiting for the Ambulance Service to arrive.

"I’d like to praise the man’s neighbour who spotted the smoke and acted quickly to rescue the man from the scene and reassure him until we arrived alongside the Ambulance Service.

“While everything is dry at the moment with the hot weather we’ve been having, we don’t recommend you use anything like a weed burner with a naked flame or have a bonfire.

"It only takes a few embers to start a fire in this dry weather."

Fire crews left the man in the care of the ambulance service.