Dog sets London home on fire

A pet dog started a house fire while foraging for biscuits in south London.

Leo - a feisty boxer/staffy cross breed - switched on the hob on a cooker as he searched out a packet of treats. They were located in a child's car seat which had been put on the cooker.

The resulting blaze caused extensive damage to a ground floor flat in Peckham, but owner Jean Mosey insisted Leo - who survived unscathed - was still loved.

"He's such a naughty thing, you can't put anything down in front of him without him trying to eat it," said Mosey. "But he's still our dog and we love him. When we get our new kitchen fitted we are going to lock him out."

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said Leo was not the first dog to start a fire.

"We're pleased that no one was injured in this fire and while unusual, it's not unheard of for our crews to deal with incidents like this," he said.

"It shows just how important it is to keep pets away from naked flames or cooker controls and to make sure kitchen surfaces and cookers are clear of food and other items that can easily catch fire."