A BUNGALOW in Langdon Hill was destroyed by a fire.

Firefighters were called to reports a blaze in the early hours of Wednesday (15 March) morning.

Crews confirmed on arrival that the bungalow, which measures approximately 20 metres by 10 metres, was around 25% alight.

Firefighters managed to get the fire under control by 5am.

Because the property had working smoke alarms, everyone inside at the time got out safely - no-one was harmed.

A statement from Essex Fire and Rescue says: "That's exactly why we want every property in Essex to have at least one working smoking alarm on every level - they really can make a life-saving difference, by alerting you and giving you the time you need to escape to safety in the event of a fire.

"If you haven't or someone you know hasn't got working smoke alarms, click here or call our team on 0300 303 0088 - we can fit them for free.

"Sadly the bungalow has been destroyed by heat and smoke damage. We believe the fire was caused accidentally."