A BOLTON man suffered breathing problems from thick smoke after flames from a chip pan fire spread to his cooker causing a blaze in his kitchen last night.

The man from Rishton Lane, Great Lever, was treated by emergency staff outside his home.

And firefighters attended the home of an elderly woman following a chip pan blaze. A crew was called out at 6.55pm yesterday to Leigh Street, Golborne.

The 74-year-old woman had moved the pan and placed it outside. There was slight smoke damage to her kitchen.