FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning to parents after an eight-year-old girl fell onto an open fire at her Accrington home and received burns to her legs.

Crews said the girl is believed to have removed the guard from the fire and fell on to it at teatime on Saturday while her parents were in another room.

Firefighters arrived at the scene in Nuttall Street and applied cooling gel and plastic film wrap to her legs, until an ambulance arrived and took her to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, where she was treated for minor burns and shock.

Accrington Fire Station officer Peter Ashworth said: "She was very lucky that the burns were not more serious and we are reminding parents or guardians of young children to supervise them around open fires.

"Children are fascinated by fire and the two don't go together. Open fires are becoming increasingly popular and parents can never be too careful."