A COUPLE'S caravan was destroyed in a blaze thought to have been started by a stray firework.

The fire broke out in Ron and Maureen Horsfield's carport at the back of their home in Manchester Road, Walkden.

At one point, firefighters had to run for cover when a gas cylinder in the carport exploded.

Mr and Mrs Horsfield were woken by a neighbour pounding on their door in the early hours of Sunday morning.

They were horrified to see their £11,000 Coachman Genius 390SE caravan on fire.

Mr Horsfield, aged 68, a retired service engineer, said: "I ran outside barefoot with virtually nothing on so I could move our new car which we only got ten days ago and which was parked near the caravan. The caravan just went up in minutes."

Firefighters were unable to drive the fire engine down a narrow back alleyway to get to the carport so they had to carry equipment to the blaze.

They took 45 minutes to bring the fire under control, but prevented it from spreading to surrounding outbuildings and houses. No one was injured.

Mrs Horsfield said: "There were a lot of sentimental things in the caravan, including photographs."

The couple had just sold the caravan to a friend -- and had ordered a new one due to arrive in February.

A police spokesman confirmed that it was believed a stray firework had caused the blaze.