An electrical fault is thought to have caused a fire which damaged the first floor of a house in Eastbourne.

Two fire crews were called to the blaze in Bourne Street at 3.50pm yesterday after a woman discovered flames in her front bedroom.

She fled from the house and raised the alarm.

Firefighters contained the fire to the bedroom but said smoke had damaged the rest of the floor.

Two children, who also live at the house, were not at home at the time.

Firefighter Colin Brook, from the Eastbourne station, said: "There was a smoke detector but it was at the bottom of the stairs so it had to wait until smoke drifted down before it was activated."