A GLOSSOP man who fell asleep with a lit cigarette woke to find his bedroom in flames.

He managed to escape to safety but the end-terrace house on Turnlee Drive was destroyed by the fire.

Firefighters in breathing equipment spent three hours battling the blaze, which was so severe plaster cracked from the walls in the ground floor bedroom where it started at around 8.30pm on Friday.

Watch manager Howard Groves said it was "unbelievable" the owner had been able to get out. "The house is absolutely gutted," he added.

"From 300m away you could see the bright orange flames coming out of all the windows."

He said the man, who neighbours said lived alone, had gone to bed after work, had a cigarette and fallen asleep. He was unhurt.

Neighbour Ronald Marlow, 58, said: "He got out alive and unscathed, that was the main thing. When we looked out and saw the flames we expected him to be burnt to a crisp but there he was in his pyjamas. He was very lucky."