A BLEEDING man climbed out of the window of a burning flat before disappearing into the night in what fire fighters labelled 'a strange incident'.

Crews were called to Kestrel Drive at around 1.40am this morning to a fire in the living room of a first floor flat.

On inspection they found a small fire consisting of burning paper, set in a cupboard, and put out the flames.

No one was in the property when they arrived.

However, neighbours reported that a man, who was not well known in the area, had climbed from the window using a veranda and garden furniture to scramble to ground level.

He was also noted to be bleeding and fire crews found traces of blood on the window glass.

An ambulance and the police were called and fire fighters waited at the scene in case the man returned.

But after staying for around 45 minutes and after police were unable to trace the man, the emergency services left the area.

The peculiarity of the mysterious incident has since left fire fighters stumped.

It also follows a fatal fire at a house in the same street on October 5 which resulted in the death of a 22-year-old man.

A crew member from Bury fire station said: "It was a strange one, especially when we had been there to a fatal fire two weeks before.

"And when you're driving up there you just never know."