FIRE crews were called to a small fire on a houseboat at Essex Marina this morning.

The 62ft long boat called Dudley Thomas was moored at the marina on Wallasea Island when the owners discovered the fire at around 11.15am.

Five fire engines and the fire boat from Burnham attended.

Firefighters used saws to reach the fire which was behind the boat's wood burning stove within the internal cladding of the hull. They used heat seeking equipment to check if the fire had spread.

Assistant Divisional Officer Martyn Hodder, the officer in charge, said: "Thanks to the early report from the boats occupiers and the rapid intervention of the firefighters the incident was made safe quickly without to much damage to the vessel and without any injuries."