It was a case of physician heal thyself yesterday when fire crews had to be called to Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s training centre at Hopton industrial estate in Devizes.

The chimney at the “fire house”, where trainee firefighters have to find their way through smoke-logged rooms, was seen issuing more smoke than is normal and a chimney fire was diagnosed.

A spokesman for the service said: “A call was put into the Devizes Fire Station until it was noticed that there was a crew from Corsham undertaking training at the centre and they dealt with it. The crews from Devizes were given a stop instruction.

“The fire had more or less burned itself out anyway, but they were able to carry out an inspection and make sure it was extinguished.

“It’s a bit embarrassing when something like this happens on our own premises but no one was hurt and no damage done.”