A family had a lucky escape after their pet dog alerted them to a fire in their home.

Firefighters were called to an address in Wadlands Road, Cliffe, at 12.30am Sunday.

The owners of the house were woken by their dog, Tyza, and realised their bedroom was full of smoke.

The young couple and their baby were able get out of the house safely and call the emergency services.

The blaze was in a storage annex at the back of the house and firefighters managed to stop the flames spreading to the rest of the property.

The family were taken to Medway Maritime Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The neighbouring house was evacuated as a precaution.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.

Strood crew manager Steve Davies said: "We would advise anyone not to rely on their pets to wake them up and fit smoke alarms in their home."

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