EMERGENCY services had to be called to an elderly woman’s home when a wheat pack “blew up” after being left in a microwave too long.

Fire crews and an ambulance went to the aid of the 81-year-old who left the microwaveable bag in too long after she became distracted.

Firefighters from Bolton North attended Bramhall Avenue in Harwood at about 11.30pm on Sunday and removed the microwave out of the property, got rid of the excess smoke and called an ambulance to check on the woman, who was “distressed”.

Watch manager Mark Anderson said: “The wheat bag had blown up inside the microwave after being in there too long. The microwave itself had thankfully stayed intact. When we got there it was a simple matter of taking the microwave out of the property and clearing the smoke.

“The lady was distressed so we rang the ambulance as she had inhaled some smoke, but thankfully she was ok and didn’t need to go to the hospital.

“It just brings home just how dangerous these things are."

Mr Anderson says this incident highlights the dangers surrounding wheat bags and urges people to use alternatives, such as a hot water bottle.

He said: “The smoke inhalation the lady suffered was slight but the contents of the wheat bag make the smoke incredibly acrid. It’s an irritant – even we thought the smell was pretty bad.

“If people are going to use them I would advise them to stay with it while it is being heated up – or look at safer ways of warmth, such as a hot water bottle.

“In my opinion it’s also not the sort of thing that you should put in a microwave before food. There is no scientific proof of this, but my personal thoughts are that I would not put food in after the wheat pack.”