Side of Wigan borough home ablaze when shed fire spreads to ivy

Fire crews from Leigh, Atherton and Hindley attended a home on Westminster Drive, Leigh, at 11pm on Sunday May 22 when smoke began belching from the outhouse at the back.

The flames spread to the creepers on the wall and this in turn caused damage to the back door and security lighting.

The blaze also disrupted telecommunications in the area because of the flames’ proximity to a telegraph pole.

Watch manager Stuart Parr said: “Because of the ivy the fire looked a lot worse than it actually was and so thankfully the damage was limited.

"We were there for about an hour with the crews from Hindley and Atherton in attendance just in case.”

Mr Parr said there was no evidence of a suspicious source and that an accident involving something in the shed – which didn’t contain anything particularly valuable – was the likeliest cause.