FIREFIGHTERS have stressed to householder the importance of sweeping chimneys regularly.

It comes after crews from Bridport and Charmouth were called to a chimney fire on Saturday night.

A spokesman for Bridport Fire Station said: "The property owner had lit their gas fire but were unaware a bird had nested in the chimney. The heat from the gas fire ignited the nest.

"When crews arrived they quickly utilised the chimney kit to extinguish the fire. This piece of kit is made of rods that screw together in one metre lengths. On the end is a 'rose' to which water is fed via a stirrup pump. This is then pushed up the chimney to tackle the fire. Whilst one crew were extinguishing the fire the others carried out an inspection of the property along the rise of the chimney. When entering the loft space they found the loft full of smoke."

Crews used a thermal imaging camera to check if the fire had spread.

Advice was then given to the occupier to not use the fire until the chimney had been swept and also inspected for damage.

The spokesman added: "It’s an important reminder to have your chimney swept regularly."