A CAT was today thanked for saving her owner's life after fire broke out at his home.

Terry Richardson, 44, of Fir Court, Huncoat, had decided to cook himself chips for lunch yesterday.

But, after putting on the pan, he became so engrossed in watching a video he completely forgot about it.

The chip pan caught fire - and Mr Richardson believes that if his cat had not started coughing he might not have noticed the blaze until it was too late.

Mr Richardson said: "I was watching a Les Dawson video and having a cigarette. I think that is why I didn't smell the smoke.

"The cat, Lady, started coughing and I wondered what was wrong with her. I went to pick her up and that's when the smoke hit me."

Mr Richardson went into the kitchen, switched off the cooker and turned the extractor fan on then grabbed the blazing chip pan.

"I saw that my hand was on fire but I didn't feel the pain until later," he said. "I couldn't put the pan outside my door because I live three floors up so my only option was to throw it out of the window.

"I looked out to make sure there was no-one passing below and then threw it out."

Firefighters attended but fortunately the only real damage was to the chip pan - which Mr Richardson now hopes to replace with a deep fat fryer.

He was taken to Accrington Victoria Hospital but allowed home after treatment for a burn to his hand.

Mr Richardson said he wanted to thank the emergency services and the RSPCA animal centre at Altham, where he got Lady a year ago.

He said: "I gave her a home and now she has saved my home. She's had an extra feed today!"

Leading firefighter John Shields from Accrington Fire Station said people should use deep fat fryers where possible, and fit smoke detectors.

But he said Mr Richardson had been lucky that Lady was there.

"If the cat hadn't been there and hadn't started coughing it could have been much worse," he said.

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