FIREFIGHTERS are warning of the dangers of leaving cooking unattended after being called to a Winchester flat.

Crews went to a property in a sheltered housing unit in Bereweeke Road, Weeke, at 8.30pm last night after a pensioner left food in the microwave for too long.

The man, believed to be in his 70s, was warming pasties when the food began smoking and set off the fire alarms.

Crews from Winchester fire station arrived to find the fire was out and no damage had been caused.

Fire station watch manager Sean Gray said this morning: “We remind people not to leave cooking unattended. In this case the fire was out on arrival, but fire can spread very quickly.”