A OUTHOUSE was gutted by fire after a blaze took hold of the structure in Clifton Road, Prestwich, yesterday evening.

The two story cabin, which boasted a mezzanine level, was being used as a wood cutting shed by its owners when the fire spread from a woodburning stove inside which had been left to burn out.

Its owners were alerted to the fire after a neighbour spotted smoke coming from the shed.

They then attempted to extinguish the fire themselves with buckets of water before calling the fire service.

Fire crews reported that the blaze was "well alight" by the time they arrived and they battled to put the flames out and cut away the burning wood.

No one was in the shed at the time of the fire and no one suffered any injuries.

Saul Hickey, Bury Community Fire Station crew manager, noted that the shed escaped being totally destroyed and it would be possible to rebuilt the structure.

He added: "I would like to remind all households to make sure that woodburning fires are fully extinguished before leaving them unattended.

"It was quite fortunate that the neighbour saw it as soon as the fire spread."