A COUPLE came home from shopping to discover smoke pouring from their house.

James Bowen and his wife went to Tesco to shop yesterday lunchtime, leaving their 15-year-old daughter at home.

The teenager had been cooking pasta for lunch at their home, in Wilson Marriage Road, Colchester, but appeared to forget to turn the hob off afterwards.

When her parents returned at 12.10pm, they were horrified to see smoke coming from the house.

Mr Bowen dialled 999, and two crews from Colchester fire station’s red watch were sent to the scene.

The 39-year-old said: “My daughter was cooking some pasta and she left the hob on – a tea towel then went up in flames.”

Two firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used one hose to put out the small fire in 15 minutes.

No one was injured and the only damage was a black patch above the hob.