4 January 2008: Big knickers put out the fire

A Hartlepool woman's ample underwear proved a godsend after her big knickers saved the family home from fire.

Jenny Marsey's son and nephew were frying some bread at the house when the frying pan caught fire. Her son at first made the blaze worse by throwing water on the flames. But her quick-witted nephew saved the day by grabbing a pair of his aunt's knickers from a pile of washing and using them like a fire blanket.

Mrs Marsey said the blue cotton Marks & Spencer knickers were bought a few years ago. "I call them my emergency ones," she said. "They're the ones you wear when you've run out of all your others."

SaintFM applauds the nephew’s quick thinking but thinks that having a proper fire blanket in the kitchen is probably better.