Bere Alston firefighters are urging good neighbours to let them know if they have vulnerable people living nearby so they can be fully prepared for emergencies.

The issue came to a head when officers from the local station attended a carbon monoxide alarm sounding at Weir Quay in mid July.

Firefighters found the alarm was a low-battery alert sounding and not an emergency. However, they also discovered the resident was a vulnerable person with poor mobility and would have needed help in an actual emergency.

A station spokesman said: “If residents have vulnerable neighbours with mobility issues, please make sure the emergency services are aware, so that in times of need we can be prepared with all the information possible, to do the best we can to help.”