A PILE of clothes caught alight in Martinstown due to lamplight reflecting off a mirror.

The blaze occurred in a bedroom at Higher Ashton Farm, just outside Dorchester yesterday afternoon.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 3.41pm and two Dorchester fire crews responded.

Firefighters discovered a burning pile of clothes in a first floor bedroom.

A fire and rescue service spokesman said the clothes and a wooden chair were severely damaged by the blaze, which also caused damage to the bedroom and smoke damage to the property.

She said: “The fire was unusual as it was caused by lamplight concentrated and reflected off a mirror onto the pile of clothes.”