A FIRE in Leigh was caused by towels touching a light.

Essex Fire Service were called to a house in Cliff Parade, Leigh, after reports of a fire at 10.12pm on Saturday.

On arrival firefighters reported there was a fire in a utility room which they quickly extinguished by 10:40pm.

Watch Manager Steve Milligan, from Leigh Fire Station, said: "The fire was caused by some towels which had been left on top of a cupboard and touching a wall light.

"After catching alight there was a delay in the fire being discovered as although the home owners had smoke alarms they were not working.

"It's vital to regularly test your smoke alarms as if they aren't working they can't alert you to the first sign of fire.

"We recommend testing smoke alarms once a week - you could schedule it into your calender and make it a routine to your week.

"It's also really important to make sure any lights and light bulbs are clear from flammable materials as these can often get hot and set alight to anything touching them."

The utility room has suffered some smoke damage.