Firefighters have warned householders to be careful where they place candles after a Christmas Day blaze alert.

Flames from a candle set light to a gas boiler in the kitchen of a house in Commercial Villas, Pudsey.

The occupants put out the fire with a tea towel, but a spokesman for Stanningley fire station said: “It could have been a nasty incident and highlights the dangers.

“Always ensure candles and lit flames are well away from furniture, fittings and appliances, and always burn them in a heatproof dish or jar.”