A 91-YEAR-OLD woman was rescued from her home by an 89-year-old neighbour after clothes drying on a heater set alight.

Ada Parkinson, of Dugdale Road, Burnley, attempted to put out the blaze herself after discovering the fire in the bathroom at 10.10pm last night.

But neighbour Jim Clegg smelled smoke and came to her rescue before calling the fire brigade. Firefighters today issued a warning about drying clothes on heating appliances.

The bathroom, stairs and first floor were all smoke damaged and the living room was also flooded after the toilet melted.

Both pensioners were taken to Burnley General Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Station Officer Paul Harvey, of Burnley fire and rescue, said: "We are urging people not to put clothes over electrical heaters.

"The situation could have been worse because of the nature of manufactured bathrooms which can cause problems when melted."

Mr Harvey said that although a fire alarm was fitted to the ground floor there should have been one upstairs as well.

People who are concerned about fitting their own fire alarms can call the station for advice.