Towering Inferno ; Burnt Victoria Sponge Causes Panic In Town

In a quiet news day and call-out day for our emergency services, a jam and cream victoria sponge caused much drama earlier today.

Mrs Peggy Trellis of Northwick Park Avenue, Victoria Road had just put in a cinnamon flavoured sponge cake to bake at 11.30am, but got distracted by some slugs on her pumpkins in her back garden.

" I'd been busy all morning and just thought I'd take a break in the garden for twenty minutes while the cake rose in the oven. I started clearing some slugs from round our vegetables and got so engrossed I lost track of time. The next thing I knew I heard a helicopter, blue flashing lights went passed and there was a cloud of smoke coming out of the oven.

A cloud of toxic-sweet smelling cinnamon from the burnt cake drifted over Old Town casting a shadow all over the Kingshill Road area. At one point nosey parkers reported the cloud was visible from the International Space Station, on Google Earth satellites and Wootton Bassett.

" We get called to this type if incident once a year on average, so taking no chances we rolled out all our equipment." Chief fire officer, Sam Samuels.

Fireman Sam reported they had not overreated by sending seven appliances, one with a big ladder on the roof, three sets of cutting gear and two inflatable rescue boats.

He added all equipment was used, though he admitted the two rescue boats struggled for space next to Japanese Koi in Mrs Trellis' ornamental pond.

Swindon Centric Says ; Thinking of making fairy cakes with the kids on the weekend? Don't take the risk.

PS - The cutting equipment was used to divide up the unburnt cake, which was shared round to tired firemen and neighbours. After tea was served the street was shut, a piano was brought out and a rendition of 'Roll Out The Barrel' kicked off a street party which is expected to go on late into the night.