A man in his 50s has been hospitalised after a chip pan caught fire in his flat in Battersea.

Firefighters from Battersea were called to McDermott Close at 2.30am today after a neighbour reported their flat to be filling with smoke.

When fire crews arrived, a man living below evacuated his property at the same time, and the source of the smoke was  identified.

Firefighters found a burning chip pan in the kitchen and quickly extinguished it.

The 53-year-old occupier was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation.

Dave Waterman, Battersea fire station's blue watch manager, said: "The gentleman has come home late, started cooking, then fallen asleep with the chip pan on.

"It's a well documented campaign the London Fire Brigade has been involved in for some time - if you're coming home late, don't cook. Get a takeaway instead."