A young couple had an unwelcome start to life in a new flat when their fridge freeze caught fire on the day they moved in.

They were unhurt after quickly putting out the blaze last night, but the kitchen of their property in Victoria Court in London Road, Mitcham, suffered heat, smoke and fire damage.

They called the fire brigade at 8.55pm on Friday, February 10.

A Mitcham fire station spokesman said: “I think they were in the process of getting their bits and pieces there and they heard a bang.

“They looked in the kitchen and there was smoke and flames coming from over the integrated fridge freezer.

“They threw a couple of buckets of water on it and extinguished the fire and called us out.”

Fire fighters stayed at the scene for about one and a half hours before the fire investigation unit arrived.