A PASSER-BY alerted a Radcliffe man to a fire in the kitchen of his home.

Stanley Nevison (60), had fallen asleep in the lounge of his house in River Street as he prepared a meal.

However, minutes later the cooker caught fire and the flames spread to other areas of the kitchen.

A man who was passing the property saw the smoke and raised the alarm.

Two fire crews from Whitefield and Bury tackled the blaze and spent two hours at the scene. Mr Nevison was uninjured.

The fire badly damaged the kitchen and the remainder of the house was smoke logged following Saturday evening's (Feb 10) outbreak.