A press photographer has spoken out about the fire dispute after his home was saved from becoming victim to a chip pan fire.

Grimsby Telegraph imaging manager Dave Moss said: "If it had been the Green Goddesses that attended, the whole house would have gone up.

"The professionalism of the fire brigade and the equipment that they used has limited the extent of the damage.

"If it had been a few days later, I think we would have lost the house. Lives are going to be lost if these strikes go ahead."

He is urging firefighters and the Government to settle their pay dispute before things get that bad.

Dave covered the last strikes in 1977 as a photographer at a newspaper in London and hopes an early settlement is reached.

He said: "People should not be apathetic to the consequences of it all. During the strikes it will not be professional cover.

"During the last strike I saw young, fresh-faced kids trying to put out a fire at an office block with smiles on their faces, struggling to handle the hose."

In the incident at his home he was using a chip pan to make his son Thomas (three) some lunch. But the pan was left unattended when a hairdresser visited his home - and the next thing he knew, flames were licking the ceiling.

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