Firefighters raced to a reported flat blaze amid fears people were trapped inside and needed rescuing.

Four fire engines and a fire officer were sent to the property in Crossways last night as part of a major emergency response.

On arrival, it was quickly confirmed the alarm was due to burnt cooking and a fire was out.

Fire engines from Dorchester, Weymouth, Bere Regis and Dorchester attended at 9.50pm.

A Dorchester crew had earlier been sent to extinguish a fire in woodland behind the rugby club in the county town.

The second Dorchester crew was then sent to check an alarm sounding at a property in Bridport Road in the town but the team were diverted to the Crossways incident. A crew from Weymouth checked on the alarm at the Dorchester property.