AN 82-year-old man suffered burns after his pyjamas caught light when he was trying to start a fire.

The incident was in Manor Lane, Nelson, at about 11.15am yesterday.

The man, named as Cyril Grimshaw by neighbours, was trying to light his coal fire, police said.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the scene and the man was taken to Burnley General Hospital.

He was due to be kept in overnight although his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, police said.

Today neighbours spoke of their shock at the incident.

Alan Britcliffe, 80, who used to go to school with Mr Grimshaw said he did not know about the incident until firefighters arrived.

He said: "I did not see anything, the first I knew was when the fire brigade was here.

"I was shocked when I found out what happened."

A spokesman for Lancashire Ambulance Service said paramedics were alerted to the incident after receiving a 999 call on a mobile phone.

He said: "We were called after the shirt of an elderly gentleman, who is in his early 80s, caught fire.

"He has got quite a few nasty burns to his body and was taken to Burnley General Hospital."