AN industrial skip full of timber was set alight at a Farnworth kitchens showroom early Sunday morning.

Firefighters were called to Christian's Kitchens, on Duckshaw Lane, at around 9.20am.

They spent around two hours tackling the blaze, which had damaged the side of the building because the skip had been placed close to an external wall.

Sub Officer David Smith, at Farnworth fire station, said: "If the building had not had metal cladding on the outside, the whole property would have caught fire.

"This could have been a far more serious incident than it actually was, and thankfully no-one was injured.

"We have run several initiatives concerning skips, and would encourage people to keep them locked when possible and at a safe distance from property."