RETIREMENT living apartments in Middlewich had to be evacuated after a fire alarm went off on Sunday.

The incident happened at Willowmere on East Road at around 11.30am on Sunday, January 23.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue were informed about the fire alarm and one appliance from Middlewich was dispatched to the scene.

The apartments were evacuated while firefighters carried out a thorough inspection, using specilaised equipment.

However, after about an hour on scene, it was apparent the fire alarm system had simply developed a fault.

A spokseman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue said: "Shortly after 11.30am firefighters were informed of a fire alarm having been evacuated at a care home on Willowmere East Road in Middlewich.

"The home was evacuated and firefighters inspected the premises, looking for hotspots with a thermal imaging camera.

"There were no signs of fire or hotspots, and it was established that the alarm had been activated as a result of a fault on the system.

"Firefighters were in attendance for more than an hour."