Salcombe Fire Station were called to a fire at a block of flats in South Sands on Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters discovered a small fire in the kitchen of the property involving a pan of food. By the time the crew arrived, the fire was out and the crew ventilated the flat to make it safe. The fire had been caused by a pan of food left unattended on the hob.

The block of flats, formerly the Bolt Head Hotel but now known as Bolt Head Apartments, sits high on the hill above South Sands, just below Sharpitor.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said that the fire engine had trouble negotiating past parked cars at South Sands, and could have been delayed.

The spokesman said: “It’s really important that people think whether or not space is available for a fire engine to pass in an emergency.

“We use a smaller fire engine in Salcombe, but a normal fire engine wouldn’t have been able to get through.

“We also request that members of the public are careful when cooking, that they don’t leave appliances unattended and ensure they are switched off afterwards.”