Firefighters are warning people against starting fires in a warehouse after a homeless person was spotted sleeping in it.

Crews from Basildon have answered several calls to a disused factory in East Mayne, Basildon, after a series of fires have been started in recent weeks.

They went to the factory, which was previously used to make wooden panelling, in the early hours of Sunday morning after smoke was seen drifting across the road.

Craig Mclellan, station officer, said: "There has been someone sleeping rough in there and we had to check the building to make sure it was all clear, which it was.

"People should not be going in there because if they start fires and there is someone in the building it is putting them and the crews at risk."

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and had extinguished the fire just after 6am.