A man was taken to hospital for treatment after he left a deep far fryer unattended on the oven in the early hours of the morning.

Firefighters from Hyndburn had to force entry into the house on Gloucester Avenue in Accrington after a neighbour heard smoke alarms going off.

Lee Cook, watch manager, said: “A man in his 40s had left a deep fat fryer on and was cooking sausages and frozen chips.

“He was slightly intoxicated and we had to force entry. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital for a precautionary check-up.

“The pan had not been switched off and continued to cook and it was the neighbour who alerted us.

“There was not a great deal of damage apart from light smoke damage to the kitchen.”

The incident happened at around 2am on Tuesday, May 20.