A FAULTY electric blanket has been blamed for a fire in the bedroom of a bungalow in a North Yorkshire village this evening.

Fire engines from Richmond, Darlington and Barnard Castle attended the blaze in Forcett, near Richmond, at just after 8pm.

The elderly couple who live in the house noticed the fire at an early stage.

The male resident, in his 80s, initially attempted to put out the fire himself, without success.

He was taken to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation, but his condition is not thought to be serious.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which caused smoke and heat damage to the entire bedroom.