FIREFIGHTERS arrived in the nick of time to prevent a decorator being engulfed in a blaze at a Hale fitness club.

The blaze - believed to have been sparked off by an electrical fault - broke out at the Nautilus fitness and aerobics club, at Progress House on Cecil Road, on Sunday afternoon.

The club had closed a couple of hours earlier but decorator John Dutton, who was working in the lounge and reception, spotted the fire and called 999.

Then he grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to tackle the blaze himself. After emptying the extinguisher he went to get another one and was going back to the sauna when firefighters arrived and ordered him to get out.

And just minutes later the blaze - which caused an estimated £20,000 plus of damage - blew a window and door out.

Nautilus owner Barry Mitchell says: "Thankfully the fire brigade arrived quickly and ordered John out. If they had been five minutes later John could have been in there when it blew out."

The sauna was gutted but firefighters saved the rest of the centre, although there was smoke damage to the changing room.

But the centre has bounced back immediately and is open for business, with its aerobics studio and gym both in use.

Owner Barry Mitchell says: "I would like to thank John for raising the alarm and the fire service for responding so quickly and probably saving John."

Nautilus, which has 700 members, was set up in Altrincham in 1982 before moving to Hale seven years ago.

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