TWO people escaped from their home unharmed after a tumble dryer fire at a flat in Bournemouth in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The occupants were woken by their smoke alarm in the flat in Norwich Avenue at around 3.20am.

Fire crews from Westbourne and Springbourne attended and extinguished the blaze using a hose reel jet and wearing breathing apparatus.

It is believed the fire started due to a build up of lint in the machine. A spokesperson for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said thanks to the early warning received by the householders, fire fighters were able to limit the damage caused by the fire which started in the first-floor utility room.

There was slight fire damage to the tumble dryer and washing machine below as well as light smoke damage.