Firemen clad in breathing equipment stunned a women when they knocked on her door to say her kitchen was on fire.

The woman, believed to be in her mid-20s, had been cooking in her flat after a night out when she fell asleep in front of the TV early this morning.

Firefighters believe she left the cooker on, and a pan boiled over and started to smoke.

They were called to her address on the St Winifred’s Estate, Kenley, at about 5.30am on Sunday, October 2, after neighbours smelt burning.

Her smoke alarm did not go off because the smoke was going out of the window.

A fire service spokesman said: “Fortunately for her, she had all the doors closed, and some neighbours were off to work and could smell the smoke coming from of the flat.

“She was unaware of the fire. She was very, very lucky.

“Two crews with breathing apparatus attended the flat and alerted her that she had a smoke-filled kitchen, and led her out.

“She was very surprised to see a fireman standing there with breathing equipment and a full face mask. She was in a state of surprise, you could say.”

She returned to the flat no worse for wear after the kitchen had been ventilated.

The fire service advised people not to go to bed when the cooker is on, and make sure doors are kept closed to prevent smoke spreading.