FIREFIGHTERS tackled a fire in a flat above a dry cleaners and also stumbled upon a cannabis factory.

The incident took place above the Ridgeway Dry Cleaners in The Ridgeway, Leigh at 1.21pm today.

Assistant Divisional Officer Martyn Hodder, incident commander at Southend, said: "The fire appears to have been caused by some work taking place on the roof of the building, a bitumen boiler overheated and ignited a ledge above the dry cleaners.

"Firefighters in breathing apparatus used two hose reel jets and quickly brought the fire under control. Their quick action stopped the fire just in time, it was rapidly spreading into the first floor flat and roof of the building."

The firefighters called the police who are conducting an investigation into the cannabis factory.