AN elderly woman narrowly avoided a gas explosion after leaving her gas oven on all night.

Neighbours alerted firefighters after smelling gas the next morning.

Crews attended the property at Clover View, Burnley, at around 11am yesterday to find the 83-year-old unwell after inhaling the gas.

It is believed she had mistaken the low gas setting for the off position on the oven's dial and accidentally left it on. Fire chiefs say it could have exploded if a naked flame had been used.

The pensioner was taken to Burnley General Hospital but is understood to be recovering.

Burnley Fire Station watch manager Tom Ashworth said: "The gas oven had been left on all night by mistake. It filled the house full of gas and neighbours smelt it. She had inhaled gas and it had affected her.

"It could have gone up if there had been a naked light. If she had lit it, it would have ignited."