A QUICK-thinking chef has told how he stopped a fire in a Swanage fish and chip shop becoming worse.

The Fisherman's Catch in Shore Road was gutted by the blaze after a deep fat fryer burst into flames.

The beachwear shop next door was also consumed by the fire and the fish restaurant next to that badly damaged.

Firefighters say things could have been worse but for the actions of chef John Cole.

John, 47, from Swanage, prevented a potential explosion by turning off the fans that work the fryers.

He said: "I saw one of the fryers was on fire and thought the best thing to do was turn it off.

"I didn't really think about it, you just do your job. I've worked here for 12 years and know where things are and how things work."

John got to his job at 4.40pm, turned the fryers on and went upstairs.

When he came downstairs a passer-by was banging on the door shouting "Fire!"

John said: "I went down to the take-away and it was black - there was black smoke everywhere."

He ran into the kitchen of the take-away, grabbed a bar-towel and wet it.

He put it over his mouth and went back into the smoke to turn the fans off.

The blaze happened last month but John's actions have only just emerged.

It is thought a fuse in one of the controls of a fryer may have been faulty.

First published: November 10