A MUM-OF-ONE is warning others of the dangers of storing flammables inside plastic garden furniture after her home almost went up in flames.

Sara-Natalie Walker from Thatto Heath was running late for work when she thought she could smell fire.

READ MORE > One rescued from property after kitchen fire

The 28-year-old asked her mum if she had lit a fire in the back garden and then heard a pop.

After running outside she saw that a garden bench the family use to store barbecue and garden equipment was on fire.

Firefighters, who arrived after Sara had managed to extinguish the flames, said the flammable liquid stored inside the BBC lighter canister and the lack of ventilation in the furniture could have been the cause.

Now Sara wants others to be wary of the dangers.

Sara said: "It was scary because all of a sudden I looked outside and the garden bench was on fire.

"We had garden stuff and barbecue equipment stored in here, and firefighters said that due to it having no ventilation running through the temperature got too hot and it went up in flames.

"We've stored these things in there for more than five years and we have never had a problem

"Had I not been running late for work the house may have ended up in flames.

"We had BBQ lighter fluid and a few other garden things such as Tiki garden torches in there, and a gas cylinder next to it.

"If I didn't check when I did, I may have gone to work and my mum would not have known.

"I want to warn people to stay safe this summer and keep all your BBQ equipment cool and in the shade and not in a storage unit with no ventilation.

"So many people have got in touch with us saying they do the same thing, so hopefully what happened to us won't happen to anyone else."