A MUM and her two small children were forced to flee their home in Blackburn this afternoon after an electrical meter box caught fire.

Firefighters attended the scene in Whitendale Crescent shortly before 1.30pm after they were alerted by the mother.

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Crew members equipped with breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using a dry-powder fire extinguisher.

There was severe damage to the meter box and light smoke damage to the property.

Watch manager Rob Birtwistle said: "The occupants of the house did exactly the right thing and got themselves outside, so there were no casualties."