Four dogs and eight puppies die in barn fire

Firefighters have urged the public to take care when using electric heaters after a blaze on a farm killed twelve dogs including eight puppies.

Crews from Heywood and Rochdale fire stations were called to a farm off Manchester Road, in Birch, Rochdale just after 2.20am in the morning.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus used a hose reel and three water jets to extinguish the blaze, but despite their best effort all the Alsatian dogs died.

Watch Manager, Neil Fox, said: "They were breeding them in the barn and they were all young dogs so it was a real shame.

"They had a portable infrared heater keeping them warm and it looks like that was the cause."

"Electric heaters can be a fire hazard so never leave them unattended, stand them where they could be knocked over or sit too close to them.

"Make sure heaters are always guarded and never try to move a portable heater while it is alight or switched on."