Fire officers are advising people that pest control 'smoke bombs' can trigger fire alarms.

This warning comes after an incident in which such devices caused an unoccupied property's fire alarms to go off, prompting a neighbour to call 999.

Crews entered a flat to find there was no fire, but there was some smoke logging. It was cleared with a ventilation fan.

Group Manager Katie Cornhill said: "While it must have made perfect sense to set the devices and then leave home for the day, because of the fumes they generate, the smoke was enough to set off the smoke alarms. Smoke bombs are best used by pest control experts, as they know how to mitigate the risks, and certainly professional advice should be sought before using such devices in the home."

"The neighbour did exactly the right thing, they heard the alarm and called the fire service. However, had they known that smoke bombs were in use within the property, that information could have been shared with us at the time of call."

Visit dwfire.org.uk/safety for more advice about smoke alarms.