Firefighters were called to hospital yesterday to save a mental health patient who set herself on fire.

Three fire engines raced to the Langley Wing, where psychiatric inpatients wards are located, at Epsom Hospital at about 6.40pm.

A Surrey Fire and Rescue spokesman said the fire burnt the patients' clothes and bedsheets, but she escaped serious injury.

He said: "A mental health patient set herself alight. She's alright now but she is a patient there so hospital staff have dealt with it."

He said the blaze was extinguished before the crews arrived at the hospital but they checked the ward and made sure she was OK.

Andy Truscott, who drove the Epsom fire engine to the hospital, said the fire set off the fire alarms.

Mr Truscott said: "I’m not sure of the details of how she burnt herself. The fire was out before we got there. Our procedure is to turn up to check things."

Banstead fire station's records said a patient set fire to themselves. A Leatherhead fire station spokesman said: "Someone’s bedclothes caught fire."

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust referred questions to Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital's mental health services.

Surrey and Borders has been asked to explain what happened and a response is expected later today.