A MOTHER whose son was "minutes from death" before he was rescued from a burning house has backed a campaign to ban chip pans.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to throw away their chip pans as part of National Chip Week, which starts on Monday.

Heather Knowles still has flashbacks of the day she tried to drag her son, Jason Gilfeathers, from his blazing home in Mulberry Walk, Blackburn.

Two neighbours were praised by fire crews for rescuing the 32-year-old, who collapsed behind the living room door trying to escape the fire.

Ahmed Rauf, 31, and Fazel Chothia, 40, forced their way into the lounge while flames from a chip pan gutted the kitchen and smoke filled the house.

Now Mrs Knowles, who trashed her chip pan, still cries when she remembers how lucky her son was to survive early that morning last September.

Mrs Knowles, of Acacia Walk said: "I still can't believe what happened. If he hadn't got so far towards the door I don't think he would have got out.

"I am so thankful to the neighbours who saved him. I tried so hard but I couldn't move him. He was a lead weight and the smoke was so overpowering. I have flashbacks of black smoke when I am on my own.

"Jason is too upset to talk about it. It took days for him to even go back to the house for a look. It is something you think will never happen to you. But I warn people never to use a chip pan. It's not worth what happened. At least everyone is OK."

There are around 8,200 chip pan fires each year in the UK which result in 34 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries.

In East Lancashire figures have started to drop thanks to fire prevention schemes including free home safety checks. There were 123 chip pan fires last year compared to 145 in 2003.

But Lancashire's Chief Fire Officer, Peter Holland, said chip pans were still a major problem.

He said: "Chip pans cause a high number of fires resulting in deaths and injuries. People leave pans full of fat bubbling away, which can be lethal as the overheated oil will ignite. "Simply changing the way you cook can prevent fire. "

For further advice on fire safety visit www.firekills.gov.uk or order a copy of the fire prevention handbook by calling 08456 087 087.