GREEN Goddess crews were called out to three small fires during the second day of the 48-hour walk-out yesterday.

Army crews were called to a small fire inside a works unit at Raikes Lane Industrial Estate in Bolton at 11.13am but two Green Goddesses on route were told to return to the Territorial Army barracks in Nelson Street, Bolton after the fire was put out by staff.

A row of wheelie bins was set alight in an alley in Kent Court, Bolton in a suspected arson attack at 9pm last night and paper was set on fire inside a derelict garage in Fairmount Avenue, Breightmet at 3.20am this morning. One crew attended.

But in Longsight, Manchester an elderly woman died in a blaze at her house in Copthorne Crescent. A Green Goddess crew and a special rescue team put out the flames. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Bolton's firefighters were due to return to their posts at 9am today as talks to resolve the industrial action continued across the country.

Military personnel also dealt with a large fire in Carrill Grove in Levenshulme where army crews rescued four people from a flat.

A large fire damaged a factory in Stockport and crews dealt with a house fire in Oldham.