A SMOKE alarm stopped a chip pan fire destroying a house in Leigh yesterday afternoon.

Luckily the damage was contained to the kitchen and nobody was injured due to the smoke detectors, fitted by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, alerting the occupant.

Crews from Leigh and Atherton fire stations were called to Abingdon Way, Westleigh, at 12.39pm after a pan caught fire on an electric cooker. The blaze damaged windows, blinds and lighting with smoke damage throughout the kitchen.

The fire was out when crews arrived so firefighters carried out a Home Safety Check (HSC) to ensure the property was safe before they left.

They also visited neighbouring homes to carry out HSCs, deliver advice and offer free smoke alarms to those without them.

Chair of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton, said: "GMFRS is encouraging people to ban the pan and use safer alternatives such as deep fat fryers or oven chips.

"Luckily, in this instance, nobody was injured and no severe damage was caused thanks to our smoke alarms - this just goes to show how important a smoke alarm is in every home.

"If you don't have a smoke alarm, please call GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit our website www.manchesterfire.gov.uk where you can also find further advice on kitchen and general home fire safety."