DORSET Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to be careful when using and disposing of barbecues as the summer season approaches.

This week, firefighters have attended two fires in gardens at residential properties in Dorset which have been caused by careless discarding or by barbecues that have placed too close to other flammable items.

On one occasion this week, the service was called to a garden blaze after a spark from a barbecue landed on a nearby pile of leaves which then ignited.

After the fire was extinguished, firefighters then found a hedgehog which had nestled in the leaves. The hedgehog survived the fire, but did sustain injuries.

In another incident as reported in the Echo last week, retained fire crews from Portland attended a bin fire on Chesil Beach which had started after a member of the public discarded a still-lit barbecue into a public bin on the seafront.

A spokesman for DFRS said: “There is a definite safety message to be learned from this - please ensure your barbecues, whether disposable or not, are correctly situated, i.e not too near fences or buildings.

“Secondly if you have piles of debris to be burnt at bonfires please check them first for sleeping hedgehogs.”