FIREFIGHTERS have warned of the dangers of aerosol cans after they were found in a improvised brazier.

A group of teenagers had added the cans to a fire which they had started in back street in Great Lever on Wednesday night.

Fortunately the flammable canisters did not explode but Bolton crew manager Chris Wilmox warned of the dangers they could have posed.

He said: "The cans will heat up to the point that whatever is inside it just explodes. If it's just a normal aerosol the explosion is quite small but anyone near it could be badly injured.

"It does make a difference how long they are on the fire. they can go off in 30 seconds or in a couple of minutes.

"There is always a risk and they can cause serious harm.

"The fire services definitely advises to never put aerosols on a fire because of the risk to anyone sat near it."

The teenagers were visited by firefighters after they started the fire in an old oil drum.

The group of youngsters, aged around 16 and 17, had cut off the top of the metal drum and were using it as a brazier in Back Crescent Road.

Firefighters from Bolton were called just after midnight, after a passer-by saw the flames, and found the group burning items including the aerosol cans, garden wood and plastic.

Crew manager Phil Earden said: "Because of the time of night and what they were burning, we had to put the fire out.

"For controlled burning it needs to be clean, dry wood and during daylight hours in case it gets out of hand. They were burning everything and anything they could get their hands on.

"They stayed when we arrived and questioned why we were putting out the fire, but we explained the legal reasons and they were alright about it."