Brighton mum's horror after son almost burns house down with Weetabix

Leanne Chatfield, 31, had a nightmare first school run of the new academic year when she came downstairs to find her microwave in a cloud of smoke.

The mother of two from Brighton was busy tending to her one-year-old daughter Alice, so her son Harrison offered to make his baby sister breakfast.

The Year 6 pupil was desperate to help his mother on what was his first day back at school, so he put Alice's Weetabix in the microwave.

But the youngster forgot to add milk and the breakfast favourite was burnt to a crisp.

The burnt Weetabix (Image: SWNS)

Leanne came downstairs when she smelt burning to find her £60 microwave filled with thick black smoke.

She arrived in time to turn the microwave off and prevent a house fire - but consequently Harrison was late to school.

"Harrison is the sweetest boy and always wants to help me in any way he can,” she said.

"He told me he'd make Alice's breakfast while I was getting the baby ready for the day, but he obviously forgot to add a very important ingredient.

"When I came down, the microwave was full of smoke, and after opening the microwave door, it filled up the whole kitchen.

The state of the microwave after Harrison tried to be helpful (Image: SWNS)

"After the fumes cleared, a charcoal square was all that was left of the Weetabix and the inside of my microwave is now stained yellow.

"I can't get the stain off, no matter what I've tried, and now the smell of burning stinks out the kitchen whenever I use it.

"I've only had it two months, but unfortunately I'm going to have to replace it.

"You have to laugh at these things, and I can't be angry because I know he was just trying to be helpful.

"We all make mistakes, it's just a shame it has to be a really smelly, expensive one."