A BASINGSTOKE hospital ward had to be evacuated last night after fears of a fire.

Fire crews from stations in Basingstoke, Odiham, Tadley and Kingsclere were dispatched at around 9.25pm after receiving reports of smoke in the neonatal ward at the Aldermaston Road hospital.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said the ward was evacuated by hospital staff as a precaution but the incident turned out to be a false alarm as investigations of the source of the incident found steam coming from an overheated pump in a pumping room.

Crews were stood down at 10.40pm.