A FAMILY of five and their classic car had a 'lucky' escape last night after an electrical fault in their garage started a fire.

A passing milkman saw smoke coming from the garage of a home in Harwood and alerted the family to the fire.

Crew manager Peter Wilmot explained the owner of a red Triumph Stag had put the battery on charge overnight and a fault with the charger had started a fire.

Mr Wilmot said: "The owner came down and disconnected the charger which had malfunctioned.

"He was quite lucky, any longer and it would have set fire to the rest of the car.

"He had the presence of mind to disconnect the electrics for us. He'll be able to save his car but more importantly his family were okay. He was lucky someone saw."

The garage was connected to the family home and the charger had been sat on top of the engine, components in the engine had been damaged said Mr Wilmot, the bodywork and interior of the car also sustained some damage.

Firefighters from Bolton North station were called to the fire in Downgreen Road at around 4.30am this morning.