A Bristol man accidentally set fire to his house using a blowtorch to strip paint from fascia boards.

Fire broke out in the roof space of the property in Clevedon Road, Nailsea, at 1315 BST on Sunday.

The man, who is in his 60s, was praised by the fire service for using a hosepipe to stop the flames spreading until they arrived.

A spokeswoman for the service said the boards had caught alight because they were so dry.

She said: "While Avon Fire and Rescue Service would never advise members of the public to tackle a fire themselves, the fire service would like to praise the actions of the owner of the property who quickly used a garden hose on the fire until crews arrived to assist.

"This undoubtedly reduced the spread of the fire and meant damage to the property was minimal."

Six firefighters used two high-pressure hoses to put out the flames and stripped back a number of the roof tiles to ensure the blaze was fully out.

The cause of the fire was accidental.