Candles blamed for house damage
FIREFIGHTERS warned of the Christmas danger posed by unattended candles after smoke blackened a Sidley home.
Crews who turned out when neighbours reported that smoke was pouring from a property at Watermill Close found that an unattended Christmas candle had melted plastic blinds at a kitchen window.
Leading Firefighter Dave Smith said that householder had returned to find there had been a fire.
"The fire had probably extinguished itself by that time because of lack of oxygen."
Most of the house was badly smoke-blackened.