A WOMAN was taken to hospital after burning her hands while pouring petrol onto a log burner on her balcony.

The woman, who was named locally as Karen Birchall, suffered burns after the fire broke out on the balcony of her first floor flat in Toronto Street, Breightmet, at 7.05pm.

Neighbours said she was having a barbecue and had been trying to kindle a fire in a small chiminea, but after struggling to get it going had poured petrol on it to try to speed up the process.

Ms Birchall, said to be aged in her 30s, suffered burns to her hands and was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital by paramedics.

The blaze quickly took hold on the 8ft-long balcony before spreading into the roof of the two-storey building.

Firefighters from Bolton north and Bolton central spent an hour-and-a-half using hoses and ladders to tackle the fire from outside and inside the flat.

They also removed tiles from the roof to get access to the burning timbers underneath.

The balcony and roof have been left seriously damaged, while the flat has been damaged by water.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "She is a nice lady — I have spoken to her quite a few times. She always has a smile on her face and she always has time to talk to people.

"I heard she was on oxygen when she left with the firefighters. I just hope she is okay."

Another said: "I was in when it happened and I could hear her saying 'what have I done?' after the fire had took hold.

"She lives on her own, and has lived there for quite a while. I have been here for 10 years and she has been there as long as I have been there."

Firefighters warned residents of the dangers associated with items such as chimineas.

Bolton north watch manager Ian Tattersall said: “This was a small log fire which was not getting going, so petrol was poured onto it.

“Our safety message is that people should never put accelerants on fires.”