A FIRE which destroyed two sheds in Ely on Thursday was caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette.

Two fire crews from Ely were called to a property in Newnham Street, shortly before 8pm, following reports that a fire had engulfed two sheds.

Firefighters used two hose reels and a hydrant to extinguish the fire and returned to their stations by 9.10pm.

The fire started accidentally and was caused by carelessly discarded cigarettes.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said: “Smoking materials when not discarded properly can quickly cause fires both inside and outside buildings.

“We would urge people to always extinguish cigarettes properly and never leave a lit cigarette unattended.”