A brave daughter had to carry her bedridden mother down three flights of stairs to safety when their home caught fire.

Coral Clouting's husband was at work. So when flames swept through the front of the home they share with her infirm parents in Hill Road, Dovercourt, she was left to get them out.

She said: "I was in the bathroom and I heard the smoke alarm. I went down and found my dad was in the hallway with the armchair on fire. The wooden surround to the doorway was also on fire."

Coral's parents, Ruby and Fred Richmond, both 85, had to be rescued from the building and Mrs Richmond had to be carried from her bed to get out.

Mrs Clouting said: "I first got her down the stairs on to a chair by the door. We waited there for the fire brigade."

She added had it not been for her smoke alarm she might not have been able to reach her parents.

"We live at the top of the house. It's a three-storey house. If I hadn't had the alarm, I might not have been alerted and would have been trapped," she said.

After getting her parents out of the house, Mrs Clouting called the fire brigade.

She said: "They were marvellous. They have kept checking if we are all right."

Mrs Clouting also thanked the neighbours who had supported her since the blaze at 8.30am on Monday.

"The neighbours have been great. Mr and Mrs Bickle took mum and dad in. They live opposite and have been very helpful."

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