A 20-YEAR-OLD man was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation after leaving a chip pan unattended.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus to search the bungalow in Masefield Avenue, Padiham, at 9pm yesterday, before finding the man unconscious on the settee.

He was carried outside by firefighters and given oxygen before he regained consciousness and taken to Burnley General where he stayed overnight.

Sub Officer Duncan Brown, said: "When we arrived there was a lot of smoke coming form the property.

"The man who lives there told us he thought his son was inside. We committed two breathing apparatus teams to start searching for him. He was found fairly quickly in the living room unconscious.

"We gave him oxygen therapy and he gained consciousness fairly quickly."

Sub Officer Brown added: "The chip pan had been left unattended and the house wasn't fitted with a smoke alarm which are two dangerous things.

"Luckily, he is going to be all right but things could have been a lot worse."

A neighbour said: "I noticed smoke and looked out of my front door and just thought it was a barbecue, so I went back inside.

"Then I spotted the fire engines so I knew it must have been something more serious. I spoke to the lad's father this morning and he said he was going to be alright.

"They haven't lived here long."