A FAMILY was today looking for somewhere to live after they were forced to flee a fire at their home in Clayton-le-Moors.

Carol and Ian Briercliffe and a 16-year-old boy were downstairs at their council home in Lancaster Drive when the fire started. Firefighters said a discarded cigarette set fire to bedding in an upstairs bedroom sometime before 7pm yesterday.

The fire went unnoticed for about half an hour because there was no smoke alarm.

Mrs Briercliffe noticed smoke billowing from one of her windows. She went upstairs and discovered the fire, then alerted her family who managed to get out of the house safely.

The bedroom door was closed, which allowed heat to build up and the room was totally destroyed by the fire. The rest of the house suffered heat and smoke damage, as did a neighbour's home.

The house has been boarded up and council officers were today inspecting the damage. They said Mrs Briercliffe was meeting housing officers this morning to try to arrange temporary accommodation.

Leading firefighter Terry Nightingale of Accrington fire station said: "There was no smoke alarm in the property. This is fire safety awareness week and we want to stress the need for alarms."

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