AN UNCONSCIOUS man was rescued from a burning house which did not have a working smoke alarm by firefighters earlier today.

Crews from Hindley and Atherton stations arrived on the scene on Thorn Well, Westhoughton at around 8.35am on Wednesday morning after a neighbour raised the alarm about five minutes earlier.

There they found a semi-detached house filled with smoke with a fire that had spread through the kitchen.

Station manager Chris Evans said: "The neighbour did well, they raised the alarm and fortunately the gent was awake because it was around 8.30.

"If it had been later, because there was no working smoke alarm it almost definitely would have been a fatality."

Using breathing apparatus they were able to make their way into the house and rescue an unconscious man in his 50s from the building.

Firefighters then used CPR treatment on the man, before paramedics arrived to take him to the Royal Bolton Hospital, where he is now said to be in a stable condition.

Crews remained on the scene until around 11.30am.

Mr Evans took the opportunity to remind the public about the role of smoke alarms in keeping homes safe.

He said: "The importance of having a working smoke alarm on every floor of your property cannot be overstated."

A joint fire and police investigation team is now examining the cause of the blaze, which is not believed to be suspicious.