A WOMAN and her elderly mother were forced to escape their house after a candle set fire to their kitchen.

Fire crews were called to the semi-detached home in Radcliffe Road, Bury, at about 7.20pm last Thursday.

The woman in her late 20s, had moved a candle off the table to put down food for dinner and had put it on the windowsill, where it is believed a draft may have fanned the flame.

A fire quickly spread to the curtains and the blaze caused substantial damage to the ceiling, table, cupboard and curtains.

The woman and her mother, a pensioner, shut the door behind the fire and rushed out of the house before calling the emergency services. Neither suffered any injuries.

Gary Stredder, watch commander at Bury fire station, said: "This woman and her mother did exactly the right thing in this situation – shutting the door, getting out of the house and calling us.

“But this should be a reminder that, at Christmas, candles must be put in appropriate candle holders and the necessary precautions must be taken, particularly if they are placed on a window ledge.”