Fire broke out in an Amersham kitchen this morning after a wooden chopping board was left on top of an electric hob.

The fire started while the occupants of the property, a flat in The Avenue, were out.

Neighbours heard a smoke alarm going off at around 11.40am and called the emergency services.

Crews from Amersham and Chesham fire stations attended and found the board had been left on top of a hob which had been left switched on.

It’s prompted a warning from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, who have been called out to several incidents where an oven hob has been left on and unattended in the last month.