A FAMILY is 'very lucky' to have come away unharmed after a serious fire at their home in Bury.

A large pile of combustible materials, including a sofa, were ablaze at the rear of a property in Benson Street, Pimhole.

All of the occupants, including children, managed to escape through the front door but significant damage was caused to the rear of their home.

A covered garden area was affected and external windows were completely shattered as a result of the flames, which were said to be around 25 feet high.

Huge billows of smoke could also be seen across the Pimhole area as the fire took hold.

A total of three fire engines from Bury, Whitefield and Heywood were called to the scene shortly after 6pm on Wednesday, May 16, as well as an ambulance and several police cars.

Bury watch manager Steve Wilcock said: "As soon as we turned out we could see the smoke.

"We received multiple calls about the incident while we were on our way.

"A large pile of combustible materials was on fire at the back of the house when we arrived. The flames at the back of the building were huge — around 25 feet high.

"Luckily the family managed to get out of the UPVC-style front door.

"The outdoor windows had shattered.

"We managed to pour water on the fire and stop it spreading inside the property.

"This was a serious fire and the family were very lucky to escape."

A crowd of around 100 people is understood to have gathered around the home as the fire took hold.

Crews were initially called to reports of a kitchen fire and an alert that there were residents trapped inside the property.

The fire service remained in attendance for around 50 minutes. They also returned later that evening to provide a safe and well visit, and gave advice on fire safety.

A fire investigation is ongoing to determine the cause.