Exploding eggs drove a family from their home and caused a safety alert in their quiet street.

The Sikder family were woken by loud bangs from their kitchen in the middle of the night.

Fearing a gas leak, they fled into the street and called 999.

But when firefighters investigated, they found some eggs had been left to boil in a pan in the kitchen when the family went to bed.

The water boiled away, the pan began to burn and the eggs eventually blew up.

Aksar Uddin Sikder was woken by the noise in the early hours of yesterday at his home in Alinora Drive, Worthing.

The explosions were accompanied by strong gassy smells.

When the 34-year-old peered into his kitchen he saw sparks coming from his cooker and feared they were caused by a dangerous gas leak.

He gathered his wife, Kamrudza, 31, daughter Jannah, nine, and sons Samira, four, and Nuha, two, and ushered them out of the house.

He ran to his garage to shut off the mains supply and called the fire service.

Mr Sikder, who runs the Royal Spice restaurant in The Strand, Worthing, said: "We were half asleep.

"We didn't want to take any chances because of the children.

"There was a burning smell and we could smell gas initially.

"There was a loud, exploding sound and we couldn't recognise what it was.

"I attempted to enter the kitchen, which is when I saw the sparks.

"The children were screaming."

Firefighters from Worthing arrived with police officers.

After investigating, they discovered the kitchen covered in pieces of egg and realised what had happened.

Mr Sikder said: "It was a combination of the eggs burning and the burning pan.

"My wife put the eggs on to make some sandwiches in the morning for our daughter's school lunch.

"Then one of the children needed attention upstairs.

"She was tired and the eggs went out of her mind. We went to sleep."

Mr Sikder admitted he was embarrassed but the incident has prompted him to be more safety conscious.

He said: "When I found out what it was I felt a bit guilty. But it was for the children's safety so I had to do the best for them.

"If it was earlier on in the evening I would have investigated it myself first but it was the middle of the night.

"I went out to buy a smoke alarm today because that would have given us advance warning.

"It was something I'd always thought of buying but had never got round to."

Crew commander Steve Robinson, of Worthing fire station, said: "It is all too easy for accidents to happen when cooking late at night.

"We advise people not to cook when they are tired and always remain in the kitchen when using hobs and grills.

"Make sure you have a fitted and working smoke alarm. If you haven't, the fire service will fit one free of charge."

To contact West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service for a smoke alarm or safety check call 01243 786211. In East Sussex call 0800 1777069.

Have you ever called the emergency services for an embarrassing reason? Tell us your stories below.