A PENSIONER was taken to hospital with minor burns to his hands and face after a chip pan caught fire.

The 68-year-old man was injured when he tried to move the pan after it caught fire in the kitchen of his Lancaster Court home. He was was treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation.

He moved the pan from the hob to the sink, causing the curtains to catch fire and the window to break because of the heat.

A spokesman from Leigh Fire Station said: "By moving the pan he caused more damage to himself and his flat than if he had left it where it was. I would always recommend people in this situation to leave it, turn the heat off and place a damp cloth, or the pan lid over it."