TWO elderly sisters were helped by firemen from their smoke-filled house in Rawtenstall.

One of the sisters was believed to have been trying to tackle the blaze in an upstairs bathroom at their terraced home in Ormerod Street when firemen took her to safety yesterday morning.

Although both sisters - one aged 80, the other younger - had inhaled smoke they both declined to go to hospital.

Their bathroom was severely damaged.

Firemen believe the fire was caused when a nightdress, hanging up behind the bathroom door, fell off across a gas heater as one of the sisters opened the door.

The alarm was raised by the elder sister who was downstairs at the time.

The aftermath of the fire meant the sisters were left with a home which had no electricity, water or gas.

Sub Officer Nick Clough said the bathroom was destroyed.

"The sisters were insured. We hope their insurance company will be able to sort out their problem quickly so their services can be quickly restored."

Before they left the firemen fitted the house with two free smoke alarms.

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