A DRY cleaner shop was saved when residents from the flat above it heard a smoke alarm sounding and called for the fire service.Firefighters attended the business, in High Street, Manningtree, on Monday evening.

A DRY cleaner shop was saved when residents from the flat above it heard a smoke alarm sounding and called for the fire service.

Firefighters attended the business, in High Street, Manningtree, at 19.25pm yesterday and found a fire had broken out in a pile of towels and T-towels in the shop.

The whole of the building was heavily smoke logged and four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property and extinguished the blaze.

Sub officer Paul Ebsworth said: "Luckily there was a working smoke alarm in the premises so fire was quickly discovered. If there hadn't been an alarm the fire may have gone undetected for some time and the damage would have been far greater.”