A Barnsley man had a lucky escape on Sunday morning after falling asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand.

The cigarette dropped out of the man’s hand, setting his jeans on fire at the property on Doncaster Road in Kendray at around 5am.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished before it could cause any major damage, but South Yorkshire Fire Service is repeating its warning about the dangers of smoking in the home. A Fire Service spokesman said: “This is the latest in a number of smoking-related near misses at properties across South Yorkshire.

“Once again we would urge people to think about whether they really need to smoke in their home, and if they do, please ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished.”

The man, in his 40’s, was taken to Barnsley District General with superficial burns to his leg.

Latest SYFR stats show smoking is the biggest cause of accidental house fires which result in fatalities.