TWO elderly women were rescued from their burning bedrooms early this morning.

The two women were sleeping when fire broke out at Woodlands Residential Home in Woodlands Drive, Atherton, at 3.20am.

Staff evacuated some of the 30 elderly residents as smoke began to spread.

Firefighters lifted 90-year-old Mrs Nellie Counsell, and 85-year-old Alice Dean from their beds.

The two women were given oxygen treatment and taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where they were treated for the effects of smoke. Their condition was described as stable.

Mrs Counsell suffers from a heart and lung condition, and is being kept under observation.

Firefighters praised the three staff on night shift at the home who wrapped the evacuated residents in blankets.

A fire brigade spokesman said the blaze started in an electrical extractor fan in a ground floor bathroom, and spread underneath the floorboards of the bedroom above.

The fire alarm went off and prevented a serious incident, the spokesman said.

Home Manager Janet Hope said: "The staff did an excellent job and acted very quickly and very efficiently.

"All the residents other than the two ladies in hospital were unharmed, and our eldest resident, 99-year-old Florence Gastrell, slept through the whole thing.

"Only a handful of residents had to be moved from their beds in accordance with advice from the fire officers."

The home was contacting concerned relatives today to reassure them, only two of the residents, Mrs Counsell and Mrs Dean will eventually have to be relocated to another home.

The damage was restricted to the floor and ceiling of the two affected bedrooms.