FIREFIGHTERS were called to tackle a blaze outside a pub.

The alarm was raised after a small fire was discovered in the outside decking area of the Dog and Crook pub, in Church Lane, Brambridge yesterday morning just after midnight by someone living above the pub.

He used an extinguisher to deal with the flames and called the fire brigade.

One crew from Eastleigh attended and used one hose.

Nick Plowright, pub landlord, said the fire service had initially thought the blaze suspicious and alerted the police, but police had established that it was not.

He said damage was minimal and it was thought that the fire was caused by a smouldering cigarette on a table that had been blown over in the wind.