A MAN has been ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work for malicious communications after a family-of-four were trapped in a flat fire in Atherton.

Nathan Brown, his partner Lynsay Winnard and her two children Caleb, five, and Jennessa, 10 months, were in an upstairs flat in Milton Close when the vacant property below became engulfed in smoke just after midnight on May 31.

Firefighters were called to Nathan’s flat and used a ladder to rescue the trapped family and their dog Diesel from an upstairs window of the burning building.

Christopher Hellam, of Water Street, Atherton, appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court yesterday accused of sending threatening Facebook and WhatsApp messages.

The 26-year-old admitted the charge and on top of the community service he has to adhere to a rehabilitation activity requirement and pay £75 compensation, an £85 victim surcharge and £100 court costs.

He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting the person he sent the messages to, who is not one of the family members trapped in the fire.

A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of starting the fire has been released by police under investigation.