A pensioner put out a fierce blaze at her home without bothering to call the fire brigade, writes Roseena Parveen.

Firefighters heard about the kitchen fire two days later, when the 86-year-old rang to ask for advice on how to clean up the smoke damage.

Fire officer Tony Prosser hurried to carry out a safety check at the woman's home in Sadlers Court, Abingdon.

But he warned that the fiercely independent woman could have lost her life.

Mr Prosser said: "It's great that there are have-a-go grannies who know what to do, but this could easily have been a tragic fatality. The fire service is there to tackle fires for you." The blaze started when a plastic container left on a burning gas ring in the kitchen caught light.

The elderly lady, who refused to give her name to avoid worrying relatives, said: "I could smell burning and thought someone must be having a barbecue. It got stronger and I went into the kitchen and the flames were reaching up to the ceiling. I calmly put a wet tea-towel over the fire.

"I am slightly deaf, so when the door bell or phone goes I have lamps around the house that start flashing and making a noise. Everything was flashing, and the smoke was so thick it was like a thunderstorm across my living room, so I opened a window. Apparently, I did the right thing, but I should also have left the house because the fumes from the plastic could have finished me off. I did feel sleepy and have been coughing. I looked in the mirror before going to bed and my white hair was very dark grey.

"I do think it's a good idea to warn people not to be so stupid. They should call for help straight away. But I was brought up to be independent that's just how I am."

Abingdon firefighters are to complete house visits this week offering safety checks and advice.

If there is a fire you should:

**Shut the door of the room

**Get out of the house

**Call the fire brigade via a neighbours phone

**Don't go back until safety checks are complete.