FIREFIGHTERS say a family was "extremely lucky" after a home filled with smoke when a fire started in a airing cupboard.

Crews were called at 6.10am this morning to a fire in a terraced cottage in the High Street in Tollesbury.

The first floor of the property was full of smoke when the first firefighters arrived.

Crews from Tollesbury and Tiptree were in attendance and found the fire in the airing cupboard.

The occupants were all safely outside when the teams arrived and firefighters wore breathing apparatus as they extinguished the fire before it could spread to the rest of the cottage.

The property was then ventilated to clear the smoke.

The family is said to be “extremely lucky” as they were alerted to the fire when the electricity tripped out, since they did not have a working fire alarm.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service has urged residents to get in touch if they do not have a fire alarm as the service can provide and fit alarms free of charge.

Watch Manager Dave Farrant, of Tollesbury Fire Station, said: "The house had suffered smoke damage.

“However, this family have been extremely lucky. The property did not have any working smoke alarms and were only alerted to the fire once the electricity tripped out.

“Thankfully they got outside safely before we arrived.

"Once the firefighters had finished at the property, they went door to door in the surrounding area to check everyone else had working smoke alarms.

“We fitted quite a few this morning to properties without smoke alarms.

"We provide and fit smoke alarms completely free of charge, so I would urge anyone reading this to get in touch with us if they know they don't have working smoke alarms. It's really easy, you can book online: http://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call us on 0300 303 0088."