Fire severely damaged the kitchen of a house in the Fell Lane area of Keighley.

The occupant was alerted to the blaze yesterday teatime by a smoke detector, and she and her daughter escaped unhurt.

The fire - which also caused smoke damage to the rest of the terrace property, in Salisbury Road - started when a chip pan burst into flames.

Watch manager Gary Leeming, of Keighley fire service, said: "The lady thought she had turned off the cooker but the heat was still on. She had sat down for her tea when the smoke alarm sounded.

"She considered tackling the fire herself but realised it was too advanced so phoned for the fire service and got herself and her daughter out of the house.

"This proves the worth of smoke detectors. They give an invaluable early warning which can make the difference between escaping safely from a property and having your exit route cut off."

Two crews from Keighley Fire Station attended the incident, shortly after 5.30pm, and some firefighters wore breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze.

A special ventilation fan was used to clear smoke from the house.