AN ME sufferer and her dog nearly died after she fell asleep leaving a chip pan on a hot stove.

Mrs Pat McKenna woke up as her front room became engulfed in smoke on Wednesday night. Her dog, Lucy, was also struggling to breathe.

In a fit of panic, Mrs McKenna, of Kitchener Street, Elton, phoned a neighbour, rather than the fire brigade, for help.

Mrs Gloria Kelly raced round to her friend's house and placed a damp tea towel over the burning chip pan.

Now, Mrs McKenna (52) is warning fellow ME sufferers who live on their own to avoid cooking when tired.

She told the Bury Times: "I'd had a really bad day on Wednesday and was very tired in the early evening but also peckish. ME makes you feel that way.

"I put the chip pan on and made some chips before going back to the living room to eat them. I then fell asleep on the couch. When I woke the room was full of smoke and I was struggling to breathe."

She added: "I was very scared and for some reason I didn't call the fire brigade but rang Gloria, who lives nearby. She ran round and dealt with the fire."

Mrs McKenna, who has suffered from ME for 21 years, admitted she had taken the battery out of a smoke alarm several months back.

She has also vowed to stick to oven chips rather than use a conventional chip pan.

While thanking her friend for her prompt actions, Mrs McKenna is warning other ME sufferers to avoid cooking when they are tired.

"I made the mistake of making hot food when I really should have had a sleep," Mrs McKenna said.

"I have to warn others not to make that same mistake."