Roof fire as man tries to smoke out wasps' nest

Fire crews were called to the bizarre incident in Billinge at around 8.30pm on Wednesday - just as the Three Lions were battling Croatia in the big match.

However, one homeowner on Smithy Glen Drive decided to try to rid his property of the insects which had settled in the cavity of the wall of an extension at the back of the house.

Unfortunately the flames did not just catch the nest but also began to burn some of the tiles and the wiring for some outdoor lights, although the owner did manage to put most of the blaze out before the emergency services got there.

Fire crews from Atherton, Skelmersdale and Ormskirk attended and the crews had to use a thermal-imaging camera to ensure the blaze was fully out.

They also used plastic sheeting to cover where the bottom three rows of tiles had been stripped back to allow access to the affected area.

The crews also gave some safety advice about tackling wasp or other pest problems by starting fires.

Watch manager Andy Leyland said: "He had read on the glorious internet that to get rid of a wasps' nest you have to smoke it out.

"Luckily he had got a hosepipe and started extinguishing the flames himself, so when we got there we only had to deal with the damage to the eaves and the extension.

"Our advice is not to attempt DIY pest control but to contact the relevant authorities."

Fire crews were at the scene for around 45 minutes.