A MAN was rushed to hospital with burns to his back, following a house fire on Teesside, early today.

The man, who is in his 20s, fell asleep while smoking in bed, after a night out.

The fire was discovered when his house mate went to check on him shortly after 3am.

Colin Robinson, acting watch manager with Cleveland Fire Brigade, at Stockton, said: "He had fallen asleep while smoking and his bed has caught fire and taken the skin off his back.

"Fortunately, his house mate came in and threw some water over him. The house is just round the corner from the fire station. We were there in minutes. He was very lucky,'' Mr Robinson said.

The fire at the house in Billingham Road, Norton, Stockton, was out on the fire brigade's arrival.

The crew put dressings on the injured man's back until the ambulance arrived to take him to the University Hospital of North Tees.

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We sent a crew to a male with burns to his back.'' Fire fighters fitted smoke alarms to the property, before leaving.