A mother and young baby escaped a house fire in Potton today after a smoke alarm woke them up.

Almost two thirds of the ground floor was damaged by the fire, but both mum and baby escaped from the house in Byards Green without injury.

The mum had been asleep upstairs with her baby when she heard the smoke alarm – set off by a fire which had started in a cupboard under the stairs.

After making it outside with her child, the mum called the fire service at 9.35am. A Beds crew from Potton was on the scene within six minutes.

A crew from Gamlingay, Cambridgshire, also helped to tackle the blaze – which was declared out by 11am.

The Red Cross also attended to provide assistance to the family.

Station commander Lorraine Moore from the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This incident shows the importance of having a working smoke alarm in your home. Without the smoke alarm she may not have known there was a fire developing downstairs and been able to escape from the property so quickly.

“I’d urge anyone who does not have working smoke alarms in their property to install them to help protect themselves and their family. If you have smoke alarms, don’t forget to test them regularly.”

The incident was closed at 11.12am and a fire investigation is under way.