THREE people were rescued by fire crews and eight others evacuated from their smoke-filled flats above a blazing Prestwich shop.

And detectives say that the cause of the weekend fire, which initially broke out at the rear of the Spar store in Heywood Road, is being treated as suspicious.

Around 15 firefighters tackled the flames which spread to the roofs of six flats located on two floors above the row of shops.

And a fire chief has declared that if the outbreak hadn't been spotted by one of the residents, they would have been dealing with loss of life.

The drama began at 2.45am on Sunday (Nov 18) when a number of bread crates and boxes at the rear of the Spar shop were apparently set ablaze. Four fire crews from Broughton, Whitefield, Gorton and Agecroft were called to the scene.

Station Officer Steve Sheridan, based at Broughton, said: "The fire went up the outside of the building, into the shop itself, up to the eaves and into the roof space.

"When we arrived, there was a severely-developing fire in the roof which was well alight over two of the six flats."

He added: "The occupants were at their windows and the shop was alight downstairs at the back. The flames were threatening to come down through the roof.

"When these people opened their loft hatches, it was a complete ball of flames."

The alarm was raised by Mr Ben White (25), who was asleep in the flat, directly above the shop, along with his girlfriend Martina Collins (23), and her 16-week-old baby daughter Millie.

Station Officer Sheridan added: "It was lucky that this chap living above had woken up and seen something out the back window. If he hadn't, we would have been dealing with fatalities."

The three were rescued by firefighters using ladders. Two people in an adjoining flat and six others in a third home were led to safety through an internal access at a chip shop next door.

Many of the 11 residents were treated for mild smoke inhalation by fire crews and paramedics at the scene but none required hospital treatment. But two kittens belonging to Miss Collins perished, despite being given oxygen by an ambulance crew.

The roof sustained around 30 per cent damage and two of the flats were heavily smoke logged. The Spar shop was badly damaged by fire.

Fire crews spent three hours at the scene and officers later maintained a presence throughout the remainder of the day.

A spokesman for Bury police said they were treating the cause of the fire as suspicious. Investigations are continuing.