Little Albert Collings could have a career as a firefighter ahead of him after he helped stop a fire spreading.

The toddler was watching trains coming into Preston Park railway station from his bedroom window with his father Stuart yesterday morning when he saw smoke and flames coming from The Rockery, which is built up the side of the steep railway embankment, off nearby London Road.

The 22-month-old started shouting fire and Mr Collings immediately dialled 999.

Mr Collings, 41, of Grange Close, Brighton, said: “We normally go over to The Rockery to watch the trains but we were watching from Albert’s bedroom window.

“He looked at The Rockery and said ‘Fire’. I looked to where he was pointing |and saw that the tree was on fire.

“We phoned the fire brigade, which made Albert’s day, because the engine was parked at the front of the house. The firefighters let him sit in the cab and afterwards I could not get him down for his morning nap, he was so excited.”

Mr Collings said Albert, who has a sister Lily, ten, and brother Nathan, eight, loves fire engines and Fireman Sam.