FIRE officers are warning people not to overload plug sockets after a fire ripped through a bedroom this afternoon.

Crews were called to the house in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, at around 4.30pm.

They managed to extinguish the fire within minutes and then were on the scene for two hours ventilating the property as the blaze left parts of the house badly smoke logged - including another bedroom and the loft space.

The fire was caused by overloading a plug socket.

Ian Read, Watch Manager at Bolton Central Fire Station, said: "We would warn members of the public not to overload plug sockets.

"The bed was on fire as the cable had been burning under it."

The family escaped the property unhurt.

The fire service fitted smoke alarms to the property as it had no detectors.

Four fire engines attended the scene and police managed traffic in the area as emergency services dealt with the incident.