Blazing car escape

ELLISON and Edna Thomas with their dog Belle next to their wrecked car. Picture by ANTHONY MILLER

A COUPLE are lucky to be alive after their car went up in flames.

Ellison and Edna Thomas, both in their 70s, were driving home with their dog Velle when they saw smoke coming from their dashboard.

They quickly pulled into the exit of the Tesco petrol station in Failsworth and escaped minutes before their Ford Focus went up in flames.

The immediate area around the petrol station was evacutated.

Mrs Thomas, who was in the passenger seat, said: "It just blew up. We had smoke coming out through the dashboard and covering the windscreen.

"People were saying 'get out the car, get out the car'.

"Then it just burst into flames."

The couple, of close-by Evening Street, were queuing at traffic lights in Sisson Street, yesterday afternoon, heading towards Oldham Road as the smoke intensified.

Hearing people shouting, they veered off to the petrol station and got out of their car.

They used the petrol station's phone to call the fire service, and emergency services including an ambulance arrived at the incident at around 3.30pm.

Daughter Lesley Stephens said: "They tried pulling into the petrol station but the flames were getting bigger."

"I was out shopping when mum phoned me.

"She was really panicking.

"I was really worried so came straight here to be with them.

"It is distressing for them both and particularly dad because the smoke really affects him."

Mr Thomas suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition affecting his lungs.

Mr and Mrs Thomas had left home for an hour to walk Velle at Brookdale Park and were returning home.

They have driven their car to Poole and Lowescroft on holiday trips after being given the all-clear at a car service earlier this year.

Mrs Thomas said: "We managed to pull over and get out.

"It just happened so quickly.

"But I know it could have been far worse.

"Tesco staff have been brilliant, they really were amazing."

A staff member said: "The most important thing is that the couple are okay."