Toddler starts fire

The single mother-of-two was upstairs on the morning of Thursday, December 19, when her three-year-old son ignited the bedding, which had been left to dry on a hallway radiator.

Fortunately, the Moore Park house was fitted with working fire alarms, so the child's mother was quickly alerted to the problem. She ran downstairs and threw water over the burning pillow cases.

Two fire engines, one from Hailsham and the other from Herstmonceux, arrived at about 9am but the fire was already out. The mother was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics.

Sub Officer David Hayes, a retained firefighter from Hailsham, said the area surrounding the radiator was inspected to make sure there was no spark of fire remaining.

He said: 'It was a very good thing that there were fire alarms fitted, and that they were in working order. We always advise parents who smoke to keep their lighters well away from children, somewhere high enough that they can't reach them.'