Firefighters swooped in to rescue Peggy the parrot in Witham today after she decided to wing it on her very first flight and found herself stuck up a tree.

Specially trained animal rescue crews were called to Webb Court, Witham at 10:15am after residents were unable to coax Peggy down. 

“Let’s squawk about it,” crews said and used an Aerial Ladder Platform to reach Peggy safely and reunite her with her owner by 11:39am.

Firefighters are warning smokers to take care while smoking inside after a fire in Thurrock yesterday left a resident homeless.

When crews arrived to the property, they found the living room on fire and the house full of smoke. 

Watch Manager Kevin Smith said: "The resident fell asleep while smoking and woke up to their armchair and nearby items alight. They did the right thing by getting themselves out quickly and calling 999.

Firefighters were called to reports of a house fire in Southend last night after neighbours saw smoke coming from the property and called 999. 

When crews arrived they discovered a fire in the cupboard under the stairs and the house was full of smoke. 

Incident Commander Dean Riley said: "Crews saved two dogs from the property and got them out safely. 

Firefighters were called to a farm building and multiple vehicles alight in Sutton this morning. 

When crews arrived they confirmed the fire had spread from the wooden barn to two tractors, caravans and vans in the yard. 

Initially crews had difficulty establishing a water supply and requested a water bowser. 

Firefighters worked in different sectors to extinguish the fire. A fire investigation was carried out and the cause of the fire was accidental. 

A member of the public called 999 and alerted residents after spotting a fire in Waltham Abbey.

We were called to Market Square today (Wednesday 10 September) at 3.13am after she saw smoke coming from a shop.

Crews from Loughton, Epping and Cheshunt (two) attended and found a shop on the ground floor alight, with smoke affecting five flats on the first and second storeys.

Watch Manager Glenn Jackson said: "Fortunately a member of the public saw the smoke, called 999 and shouted to the occupants in the flats above the shop to get out.

Crews have extinguished a fire affecting a bungalow in Hadleigh.

We were called to Church Road today (Monday 8 September) at 3.07am and crews from Rayleigh Weir, Leigh and Southend (two), attended, along with an Aerial Ladder Platform from Grays.

A detached bungalow measuring about 30 metres by 15 metres was alight.

Station Manager Jason Gould said: "Crews were faced with a well-developed fire which had spread through the roof and most of the bungalow. They did a fantastic job of stopping it from spreading to nearby properties.

Crews have issued safety advice after they attended a fire at a flat which did not have smoke alarms.

We were called to a ground floor property in Springfield, Chelmsford today (Sunday 7 September) at 5.30pm and two crews from Chelmsford attended.

Although the fire was extinguished by 5.58pm, the damage means the family of three have been left temporarily homeless.

Watch Manager Mark Curtis said: "Thankfully the occupants noticed the fire and were able to get out unharmed, but smoke alarms provide an early warning.