THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage was caused to a house last night when a blaze started by an incense stick destroyed a bedroom.

Children at the house in Wells Street, Haslingden, had left the sticks smouldering in a cupboard full of clothes and bedding at around 6pm.

After spending 15 minutes downstairs two of the four children went back up the bedroom to find it on fire.

Khan Mohammed, 35, who has lived in the house with his wife and four children for around seven years, said: “I am happy that everybody got out, that is the most important thing.

“The children ran down shouting that there was a fire and when I opened the bedroom door the flames were at least five or six foot high.

“At that point the TV in the room exploded and made a big noise so I just got everybody out.”

The blaze badly damaged the bedroom and caused smoke damage to other parts of the property.

Mr mohammed said the damage was so bad he will have to live in the house alone until it is repaired it, while his wife and children, aged four, five, 13 and 15, will be staying at his brothers.

Mr Mohammed said: “We had no insurance so it is going to have to be repaired by us.

“I’ve stripped out the room and have had help from friends and family. Everybody has offered to help in some way.”

Fire crews spent around 30 minutes putting the fire out and then another half hour making sure the house was safe.

Firefighter Darryl Wood said: “The fire was started by incense sticks left smouldering, so we would like to stress the importance of making sure they are put out properly.

“They did have smoke alarms, but they weren’t working properly.

"People need to make sure they check their alarms.”