A PENSIONER fled to safety as flames ravaged her Chester home.

The woman, who had been asleep, was alerted by her smoke detector at 3.35am on Saturday after the fire broke outinthe loungeofherhome in Appleyards Lane, Handbridge.

It started after a candle left unattended on the TV melted.

Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus found the front door open and checked there was no one in the house before tackling the blaze using two hose reels.

A ventilation fan helped clear the smoke.

The woman, who had taken refuge in a neighbour's house, was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics.

She feared her cat might still be in the house but it turned up safe and well about an hour later.

Firefighter Jim Payne said: 'It was quite a big fire. The lounge was well alight and was completely destroyed.

'The ceiling had collapsed and the flames had spread throughout the hallway and started to make their way up the stairs.

'There were scorch-marks throughout the house.'

Neighbours said the woman seemed all right in the wake of the blaze and had been staying with relatives.