A woman was left needing medical treatment after a discarded cigarette caused a fire at her house in St Ovins Green, Ely - which did not have any smoke alarms.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel and covering jet to extinguish the fire and dampen down the surrounding area on Friday March 17.

Watch commander Jim Sharp said: “It is important to reiterate not to smoke in bed and to make sure you have working smoke alarms in your property.”

“Cigarettes can easily start an accidental fire as tobacco is designed to stay alight so it is important that smokers check a cigarette is properly out when stubbed out in an ashtray.”

A Cambs Fire spokesman said: “A female casualty was treated by ambulance staff at the scene for smoke inhalation.

“The cause of the fire was accidental by smoking materials.”

“Crews from Ely and Soham were called to the blaze at 5.09pm and returned to their stations by 10.21pm.”