FIREFIGHTERS spent more than three hours dealing with a blaze at a house in Leigh early on Tuesday.

Fire crews were called to the terraced property on Briar Grove at 3.30am after reports from neighbours who had seen the downstairs of the house on fire.

The ground floor of the house was destroyed and the upstairs was seriously damaged by smoke. Firefighters stopped flames spreading to neighbouring houses.

It is believed the fire was started accidentally, but the house was empty when pumps arrived.