A MIRROR that reflected sunlight on to a patch of carpet sparked a call to the fire service.

A woman dialled 999 after smelling burning in her home at about 9am today.

Nearby crews raced to her house in Park Crescent, Selsey, and found refracted sunlight from the magnifying mirror had burnt a track through a carpet near her patio doors.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is now warning people to keep mirrors and reflective glass objects away from sunny windows.

Crew commander Mark Bateman said: “These sorts of fires are not as rare as you would think and don’t only occur in the heat of summer.

"We would advise everyone to be careful with crystal, glass or mirror objects close to windows in sunny rooms.”