DORSET Fire and Rescue Service is reminding residents to ensure their chimneys are kept clean after firefighters were called to two separate chimney fires this morning.

A retained crew from Wimborne was called to a house in Beaucroft Lane in Colehill at around 11.05am, where they extinguished a small fire in the flue of the chimney.

Approximately half an hour later a crew from Weymouth tackled a second chimney fire in South Road in Wyke Regis.

Following the two incidents, a spokesman from the service urged residents to sweep their chimneys regularly.

The spokesman said: “Regular cleaning of your chimney or flues will eliminate the build-up of soot and clear obstructions such as bird or animal nests, leaves and debris.”

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service recommends chimneys are swept at least once a year when using coal or oil and once every three months if burning wood.