A FRIGHTENED 85-year-old woman was forced to flee through a window to escape a fire which started in the kitchen of her bungalow.

Firefighters found Mrs Elizabeth Kerry outside her house on Browsholme Avenue, Burnley, in shock and suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

The pensioner was given oxygen by the fire crew before paramedics took her to Burnley General Hospital. She was released after treatment.

Station Officer Pete Ashworth said: "She was very brave to get out of the window but she did the right thing in getting away from the fire.

"When we arrived we found the house was smoke logged and the doors were locked so we broke down the back door to get in to tackle the fire.

"She had put her tea under the grill and it had set on fire. She had a smoke detector fitted and it activated which alerted her to the fire."

Firefighters tackled and used the extraction fan to remove the smoke from the building.

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