A Sevenoaks man has been labelled "the holidaymaker hero" after coming to the rescue of a family in a burning house.

Damian Crawford from Pilgrims Way East in Otford was on holiday with his own family in Warmwell in Dorset when the incident happened.

He said: "I was just in the right place at the right time.

"It was our last night and my wife Louise and I we were going out for a meal in Weymouth when we saw heavy smoke from the road.

"At first I thought it was fog, then I looked over and saw the thatch of a cottage well alight."

He stopped his car and ran towards the blaze. He said: "Just as I reached the front door an elderly man came out.

"I asked if there was anyone else inside and he said no, but he seemed very confused.

"I took him to our car and called the fire brigade, but then I noticed that half the house was a holiday cottage and there were still lights on in there."

He ran back to the holiday let and banged loudly until he got the occupants' attention. By then the smoke was very thick and the flames had spread across the roof.

He said: "The poor family were totally oblivious. The man who opened the door said his wife was having a bath so he ran upstairs to get her.

"She came down in a towel, and he and I each grabbed one of their kids and ran outside.

"Everyone got out, but it was shocking how fast it went up and how much smoke there was with embers falling about."

The elderly resident was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation, but otherwise, thanks to Mr Crawford's quick actions, there were no injuries.

Mr Crawford, 47, a civil in engineer working in the water industry, said: "If the fire had happened later, when people were asleep, God knows what would have happened."

But he denies he was hero. He said: "I just did what anyone would have done who saw it."

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service said they had received a call at 6.45pm last Thursday evening to a thatched cottage off the A353 at Poxwell.

The first firefighters on the scene quickly realised it was a major blaze and asked for support.

At its height, 14 fire tenders from 10 local fire stations were in attendance, with some 70 firefighters.

The blaze is believed to have started in the kitchen before spreading to the thatched roof.

The A353 was closed for several hours while emergency services tackled the blaze.

After all the excitement, Mr Crawford and his wife still went on to Weymouth for their meal out.

He said: "We had passed through Poxwell many times. It's a lovely village with many picturesque thatched roof cottages. We often said 'perhaps we should stay here next time.' But now we are re-thinking that idea."

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