FIREFIGHTERS gave a hamster emergency oxygen in a vain attempt to revive it following a house fire in Padiham yesterday.

They were called to the kitchen blaze at a house in Graham Street at 2.30pm after a pan left on a gas cooker caught fire.

A smoke detector in the house alerted a neighbour who called the fire brigade.

Leading Firefighter Mark Geraghty said: "We used the smallest mask and put the oxygen near to the hamster to try to revive it but unfortunately we were not successful.

"There was damage to the kitchen work-tops and cupboards and the fire had spread to the ceiling but we were able to stop it spreading to the bedroom upstairs. There was also a lot of smoke damage."

The householder returned while the firefighters were at the house.