BURY fire chiefs have warned residents about the dangers of cooking up a late-night snack during the party season.

The warning comes after fire crews attended a house fire in Bury caused by a man leaving a saucepan on the hob.

It is thought the man in his mid-40s had come home from a Christmas party at about 9.30pm last Thursday, left the pan unattended and fell asleep in another room.

A neighbour of the terraced property in Cateaton Street heard the smoke alarm and called the fire service who managed to wake the man up by banging on the door.

The man was given oxygen but suffered no injuries. The pan was destroyed and the kitchen was smoke-logged when the firefighters arrived.

Keith Hadley, crew manager, said: “This incident is just a reminder to anyone going out drinking at this time of year to first of all be safe getting home, and secondly, to not use your grill, hob or oven after a night out. It’s safer to either use the microwave or just get a takeaway. It is not the time to start making food.

“We were just about to break the door down before this man woke up and came out spluttering from the smoke. Luckily he had a smoke alarm fitted by us a while ago and the neighbours heard it.”

For information about home safety advice: visit: manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_ risk_assessments