A FAMILY of six escaped unharmed after an "intense fire" in the area below their flat.

Crews from Fairweather Green and Bradford Fire Station were called to the incident, which took place in a bin store at the back of the Premier Convenience store in Milner House, Greenway Drive, Allerton.

The blaze took place in an area between the back of the shop and the front door of three flats, but the fire only spread to one of the flat's front doors and also ruptured its gas supply.

A girl from the family spotted the fire out of her flat's kitchen window.

The blaze caused severe smoke damage to the near-by shop and doors and windows in the incident, at just after 10pm yesterday.

Police and ambulance services attended the scene and a fire investigation team is trying to establish the cause of the blaze.

Crew commander Ross Cordingley, of Fairweather Green Fire Station, said it was quite an intense fire.