A CHIMNEY fire broke out in the early hours of the morning at a house in Winsford

Firefighters were called to Townfields Road at around 4.45am.

On arrival crews discovered that a fire had burnt through a wooden mantel above the fireplace.

The fire had spread to a small cavity alongside the wood burning flue.

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Firefighters used a specialist kit to gain access to the fire through the wall.

Crews used water to extinguish the fire and then brought in a thermal imaging camera to look for hotspots and monitor temperatures.

The chimney was thoroughly inspected.

Firefighters left the house once they were satisfied that the fire was fully out and the property was safe.

Crews were at the scene for around an hour and 45 minutes.

A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "The fire is believed to have been caused by the flue being too close to combustible materials."

For advice on how to avoid a chimney fire visit cheshirefire.gov.uk/public-safety/home-safety/chimneys.