THREE people were led to safety by firefighters after arsonists set fire to a gas meter at a house on Friday night.

Fire officers feared an explosion when they arrived at the terraced house in Manchester Road, Bolton - which is divided into flats - and discovered that a cupboard in the hallway containing the meter had been set alight.

Arsonists are believed to have pushed paper inside the cupboard before setting it alight.

And , as detectives investigated the incident, a fire chief said there was a serious risk of an explosion at the home and lives could have been lost.

Station Officer Bill Edwards, of Farnworth Fire Station, said: "Lives were put at risk and it could have been a lot worse. Luckily, the gas meter supply was not ignited and we got there in time. If it had not been discovered when it was we could have had a major incident on our hands."

A woman in her 40s raised the alarm as thick smoke swept throughout the flats.

The homeowner was given advice by the fire control room staff who told her and two other people living in a second floor flat to stay indoors until firefighters arrived.

The woman and two men were led to safety from the house after firemen contained the flames and cleared part of the smoke away from the hallway.

Paramedics treated the three for smoke inhalation but they did not require hospital treatment.

Up to 15 firefighters from Bolton Central and Farnworth spent two hours at the scene.

Engineers were called out to switch off the gas supply.

The gas meter was destroyed and the block of flats suffered smoke damage.