A family of four has been left homeless after a fire destroyed their flat this afternoon.

Firefighters arrived at the scene of the first floor flat in Melbourne Road at 3.37pm to find that, while a fire had been contained to the kitchen, the property was entirely smoke logged.

Crews extinguished the fire by 4.02pm today, before using thermal imaging cameras to ensure there were no remaining hotspots within the ceilings or internal walls of the building.

Due to the amount of smoke that accumulated within the flat, it has been completely destroyed.

The fire was caused after clothing material ignited nearby to a hob, which had been briefly left unattended.