A CANDLE in the wind has prompted a seasonal warning on the risks of naked flames after Shipley firefighters were called to a kitchen blaze early today.

A 21-year-old woman had placed a large decorative candle on a plastic tray beneath an open window and the guttering flame had ignited the tray and plastic window sill, filling the closed room with toxic black smoke.

"The poor woman was terribly embarrassed, but it serves as a timely warning to people about the dangers of candles," said Shipley watch commander Phil Brown.

His officers and a crew from Idle attended the fire in a flat on Leeds Road, Shipley at 1.30am where the woman, thought to be Polish, was distressed, but unharmed.

"She was very apologetic, but it's one of those things which happens quite a lot.

"She'd put a big Christmas candle on a plastic tray and then left it. There was a lot of thick black smoke, but luckily the kitchen door was closed and most of it was drawn out of the open window by the draught.

"People don't realise just how flammable plastic can be.

"It looks safe and strong, but to say it's like solid petrol is a good way to put it," Mr Brown said.

"If you are having candles this Christmas, make sure they are safely on something ceramic or glass, but definitely fireproof," Mr Brown said.