A 23-STONE man and his family were forced to climb out of a small upstairs window to escape a blaze in their home.

Chris Farrington had to be helped to safety by fire-fighters after being rescued from his house in Eastcroft, Nelson, by neighbours.

The fire is believed to have been started accidentally around 11am yesterday when the family's son was playing with a lighter. The rest of the family were upstairs in bed.

When fire-fighters from Nelson arrived at the house, mum Lorraine, seven-year-old Jordon and 18-month-old Terri-Marie had already escaped and were safely on the ground.

Nelson station officer Nick Isherwood said Chris could not lower himself down because he had cut his hand smashing a locked window. "They escaped through a very small window on to the flat roof of the porch." Des Hutchinson, a neighbour who helped rescue the family, said: "We took the window off its hinges but we couldn't get him down because he is a big bloke." The family were taken to Burnley General Hospital suffering from shock and smoke inhalation and are now staying with friends. Chris needed stitches. But now the family could be split up while the council struggles to rehouse them. For Lorraine the fire brought memories flooding back of a house fire when she was six, in which her mum died. Chris said: "She needs me with her now."

The fire was confined to the downstairs living room with the damage mainly to the settee.

The cause is still being investigated.

Chris said: "My wife and children were helped down but they struggled with me because I'm 23 stone. My neighbours got me onto the roof but we had to wait for the fire brigade to get me down.

"We only moved in about two weeks ago and the whole front room is totally destroyed.

"We are going to see the Council today but they have said they may have to split us up and put my wife in a refuge for the time being. We are not happy about that because my wife lost her mum in a fire when she was only six years old so it has brought it all back to her."