A GORSE Hill grandmother had to be rescued from her flat by firefighters after cooking for a family celebration went wrong.

June Arklie, 55, of Hinton Street, had been cooking curry to serve at nephew Jordan's confirmation party.

After accidentally leaving the cooker on, Mrs Arklie was overcome by smoke and had to be rescued from her first-floor flat, which is part of the Gladys Plumley sheltered housing complex.

She said: "My nieces and nephews all love Indian food, so I decided to make a curry and some coronation chicken for the party.

"It was a hot day, so after I had cooked the food I went into the living room to have a lie down on the sofa and watch TV.

"The next thing I knew I was waking up in hospital the following morning."

The fire happened on Saturday evening.

When she left the kitchen, Mrs Arklie had left the cooker on, with a plastic spatula in the saucepan. It was not until a passerby saw smoke coming out of her kitchen window that the alarm was raised.

By the time fire crews from Stratton and Swindon arrived, the kitchen was completely filled with smoke and Mrs Arklie was unconscious.

Mrs Arklie said: "I know I should have had a smoke alarm. It might have made all the difference in this case."

Station Officer Gary Heep of Wiltshire Fire Brigade said: "The fire was not a serious one and was contained in the kitchen, but as we all know it is the smoke that does the damage, and this lady had been overcome by the smoke.

"Two firefighters using breathing apparatus carried her out of the flat and gave her oxygen before the paramedics took over."

Mrs Arklie was taken to Great Western Hospital by ambulance and was kept in overnight for observation.

She said: "I came home on Sunday, but I still had to miss Jordan's confirmation. He called me to say that he wasn't going to go if his Auntie June wasn't there, but I told him to go, and the whole family had a lovely day."