A yacht caught fire in Brighton Marina when a plastic bag fell on a gas ring as the owner boiled water for tea.

Eamonn Campbell, 56, had a narrow escape when the flames caught the sleeveless jacket he was wearing.

Firefighters sped to the marina after the 35ft Little Mermaid caught fire during maintenance work on its hull in a boatyard.

The blaze was thought to have caused damage costing several thousand pounds.

Mr Campbell had been making a cup of tea below deck when the bag fell on the gas ring.

He said: "I pulled my jacket off and jumped out of the way but by then the boat's linings had caught fire and a lot of black smoke came pouring out, so I couldn't get back in for the fire extinguisher."

Firefighters from nearby Roedean were at the scene in minutes.

Mr Campbell, of St Martin's Place, Brighton, said: "It could have been a lot worse. It could have happened at sea or when there were children in there."

Mr Campbell has owned the boat for a year and had planned to relaunch it today, but will now have to wait until the damage is repaired.