A MAN has been left in a wrangle with his housing bosses after a chip pan fire left his home blanketed in soot.

Gary Symes, of Essex Drive, Bury, accidentally left the chip pan on when he fell asleep early on Sunday morning.

The fire caused extensive smoke damage to the kitchen forcing Mr Symes, his partner, Kirsty Moore, and her three-year-old daughter to move out for the night.

The toddler, who already suffers from chest problems, is now living elsewhere until the home is restored.

Mr Symes contacted Springs Tenancy Management Co-operative, who run the council-owned property, to inform them of the damage but claimed they refused to help.

He said: "I'm not denying the fire was completely my fault. I am perfectly willing to clean it myself but we just wanted somewhere to stay temporarily while the work is carried out so Kirsty can stay with her daughter."

"We were told the house was habitable and, compared to other properties, the kitchen was practically gleaming, which I found unbelievable."

Ian Embley, director of Springs TMC, denied he refused to help and said they had tried to find alternative accomodation.

He said: "We did not sit back and do nothing. Mr Symes' girlfriend is not registered at the property and stays at her mother's three days a week so they do have somewhere else to go."

He added: "We checked the electrics etc, and the property is not structually damaged.

"It is habitable if it is cleaned up -- it is just soot which will wipe off. My Symes is a very lucky man that the damage wasn't worse."

Mr Symes said he was now going to start cleaning his kitchen walls of the soot in a bid to make his home fit to live in for his partner and her daughter.