A FAMILY got a shock when they returned to their home to find it ablaze.

The parents and three children called the fire brigade when they got back to their semi-detached house in St James Court off Shear Brow, Blackburn, shortly before 7pm last night (Fri).

A crew from Blackburn attended the scene and spent two hours putting out the fire which began in a first floor bedroom.

The blaze left severe damage to an airing cupboard in the bedroom, and severe heat and smoke damage to the entire first floor.

A crew spokesman said: "The flames were contained to the room because the door was closed, but the damage was enough that the family had to find somewhere else to stay."

The cause of the fire is thought to be an electrical fault.