AN ELECTRICAL fault in a tumble drier caused a spectacular fire which damaged two houses, trees, two sheds, a summer house, car port and fencing.

Geoff Fitzpatrick was left surveying thousands of pounds worth of damage after his tumble drier - which he kept in a garden shed - developed an electrical fault and started the fire around 6.30pm on Monday in Golborne.

Within the space of 10 minutes the blaze had spread to a second garden shed, trees, and a summer house Geoff kept for his children in his Ringley Avenue garden.

The heat was so intense five windows cracked and splintered in a neighbouring house and a car port on a third property was damaged - fortunately it was vacant at the time.

Geoff, a machine operator said he realised something was wrong when all the electrics blew in his house. He said: "I checked everything in the house then realised the tumble drier was on in the shed. When I opened the shed door it was well alight."

Destroyed

Tools and children's bikes were among the items destroyed in the blaze.

Geoff said: "I would sooner have what was in the sheds than the money from the insurance."

Neighbour Stephen Hesketh said he had been surprised at how quickly the fire had spread.

He said: "My windows on the landing, bathroom and kitchen have melted because of the heat. All the fencing is gone too."

Heat had also damaged a flat roof on his property.

Leigh firefighters stayed on the scene for an hour and a half using four jets to extinguish the blaze and cool surrounding properties.

A Fire service spokesman said: "It was probably caused by an electrical fault which led to quite a spectacular blaze."

Firefighters had to remove 15 liquid petroleum gas cylinders from the scene. The cylinders did not explode but some small gas canisters did, fortunately without causing injury.