THE noise of a smoke alarm ringing alerted an Ipswich man today to a fire in his home that may otherwise have destroyed it.The man, who was too shocked to speak, had been in his back garden when a blaze started in a first floor bedroom of the property in Rosehill Road at about 11.

By Jo Macdonald

THE noise of a smoke alarm ringing alerted an Ipswich man today to a fire in his home that may otherwise have destroyed it.

The man, who was too shocked to speak, had been in his back garden when a blaze started in a first floor bedroom of the property in Rosehill Road at about 11.30am.

On hearing the alarm he went into his home, where he discovered the fire, and alerted the fire brigade.

Fire crews from Princes Street and Colchester Road were able to contain the fire in one room of the semi-detached property and had it under control by midday.

Sub Officer Chris Cage said: "What raised the alarm in this incident was the fire alarm.

"The man was in his garden when he heard it going off."

He added that the fire had started accidentally.