Surbiton fire station were called out to two pan fires in the space of a couple of hours this morning.

A university student who left a pan on at their Seething Wells flat was the first 999 call at about 6am.

A woman who left her flat in Verona Drive to take her children to school leaving a pan on was the second at about 8.30am.

Ian Meyer, crew manager, said of the second fire: "We had to break in the door and put it out. It was just a pan but the smoke damage was terrible.

"It made everything smell and there was thick smoke. Every room was affected.

"The message is the smoke alarm on both warned us."