AN ELDERLY couple had a 'lucky escape' when their car burst into flames in Grasmere yesterday (May 22).

The Lancashire couple, in their 80s, spotted smoke coming from their Ford Scorpio's bonnet and despite their best efforts to disconnect the battery they were helped away by a passing couple before it set alight.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service was called just after 6pm to the vehicle on Stock Lane, near Grasmere Gingerbread, which was well alight and billowing smoke.

Local residents closed the road and a crew from Ambleside fought the flames with breathing apparatus and hose reel jets as onlookers watched.

William Christopher Tyrrall, 81, and his wife Brenda, 80, from Rochdale, were visiting the village while on holiday in the Lake District.

After taking their belongings out of the car they were helped by a local couple who got them safely away from the vehicle in time.

They were sat down and given some tea before being driven back to Storrs Hall, Windermere, where they were staying.

Their family was coming to collect them.

Richard Webb, proprietor of The Grand, Grasmere, saw the incident from the outset.

"I had just been attending a meeting in The Tithe Barn and on leaving I saw a small amount of smoke through the grave yard of the church," he said.

"I therefore quickly walked around the corner as it is most unusual to see smoke for this area.

"The car, within a matter of 10 to 15 seconds, burst into the powerful fire you see in my images."
He added the vehicle's owners looked 'shaken'.

Village resident Martin Campbell also witnessed the fire which he thought looked at first like a bonfire.

He said fire crews were unable to connect to the water supply as the manhole covers were 'stuck fast'.

"The car was very close to Grasmere Gingerbread and when the firefirghters tried to connect to the water supply they couldn't lift the lids up and tried twice in two locations," he added.

"It was only by luck that they extinguished it with the water they had.

"It's worrying because if the wind was blowing in the wrong direction it would have caught fire and the fire brigade wouldn't have been able to put it out."

He said he had informed Cllr Vivienne Rees and Cllr Heidi Halliday about the issue.

It is believed the fire started as a result of an electrical fault.

The car was alight for 10 minutes and was totally burned out.

The incident is not being treated as suspicious.