PLASTIC trays in a cooker started a fire last night.

Firefighters went to a house in College Street East, Crosland Moor, about 7.45pm and discovered the cooker on fire.

Watch manager Simon Dennett said a woman in the house had turned the oven on.

But there were plastic trays inside and these caught fire, causing smoke damage to the kitchen.

He added: "It could have been a lot worse if the woman had left the house and the fire had really taken hold."

Fire crews removed the cooker and made the kitchen safe.