Family flees fire

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus had to cool a barbecue gas cylinder with a hose reel to reduce the risk of an explosion as colleagues dealt with the fire.

As the firefighters worked, householder David Bigwood told the Observer in the street: "The first we knew of it was when a neighbour told us.

"There were two plastic sheds in the garden. They went up quite quickly.

"Nobody is hurt, thank goodness. My wife and two kids got out.

"We have no idea how it started."

Later at the scene, fire and rescue service watch commander Graham Fletcher said: "It looks like a barbecue set with a gas bottle may have been the cause but we don't know yet how it started.

"We found the barbecue set by the rear wall of the house.

"Two plastic sheds have gone.

A rear, downstairs kitchen has been damaged both by fire and smoke.

"The barbecue was resting against the downstairs toilet wall.

"It looks like the toilet will need a new ceiling and a roof repair.

"The first crew put a covering jet on the gas cylinder while the second crew went in and dealt with the outbreak in the kitchen."

Firefighters believe an electrically-powered cycle, the remains of which they found later in the plastic sheds, may have caused the fire.