A TENANT'S home was badly damaged after a fire started inside his first-floor flat.

Between 10 and 15 people watched on as smoke issued from the property, next to Eye to Eye video and TV repair shop in St Helens Road, Daubhill.

Residents described hearing 'banging noises' and seeing lots of smoke pouring from the window.

Maria-Chiara Bradascio said: "I could hear banging through the wall. We didn't know what it was.

"From the window I saw about 15 people downstairs. My neighbour was waving at me to get out. A man was shouting there was a fire next door.

"There was a lot of smoke coming out of their front window. After a few minutes the window blew up and crashed onto the floor.

"It was pretty scary because the window landed very close to my boyfriend's car. Thankfully it didn't hit it.

"There were two fire engines here and the police arrived too."

Fire crews from Bolton Central and Bolton North were called to the blaze at 10.45pm on Friday after a neighbour phoned 999.

There was no one in the property at the time of the incident but the flat suffered serious fire and smoke damage.

Bolton Central watch manager Oliver Deller said: "About 50 per cent of the live room area went up in flames, including furniture, the sofa, a sideboard and floor boards. The window had failed at the front and smoke was coming out.

"Luckily the male tenant had closed the door so it was just that space affected.

"A police investigation is being carried out."

Crews remained in attendance for about one hour, using breathing apparatus while they extinguished the fire and cleared the smoke.

They contacted the landlord of the property and informed him of the incident. The cause of the fire is not yet known.