EXMOUTH firefighters have called for old smoke detectors to be discarded responsibly after a crew was called to Lympstone in the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports a smoke alarm was sounding.

EXMOUTH firefighters have called for old smoke detectors to be discarded responsibly after a crew was called to Lympstone in the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports a smoke alarm was sounding.

When the firefighters arrived at Courtlands Lane at around 3.15am, they were met by a concerned neighbour who believed a nearby home was on fire after hearing an alarm ringing for an hour.

An investigation carried out by the fire brigade found a discarded smoke alarm sounding in a skip outside an empty home.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "The fire service urges people to dispose of extinct smoke detectors responsibly.

"The woman did the right thing, putting the call into us.

"We always encourage people to make a call to the fire service if they hear smoke alarms.