Mum and son saved from burning house

A MOTHER and her young son were rescued by firefighters from a burning house on Monday night.

Tracey Westcott, 26, and her seven-year-old son Jay were rescued from the top window of their home in Hydean Way, Stevenage at 11.35pm.

Mrs Westcott said: "My son was asleep in his room and I was listening to music. I had been cooking earlier in the day and had taken the batteries out of the smoke alarm and not put them back.

"The first I knew of the fire was when smoke started to come through my door.

"I went into the hall and smoke filled the room. I tried to get downstairs but couldn't.

"I went into my son's room and told him to get under the covers so that he didn't breathe in the smoke. I shut the door and called 999.

"They were here within minutes although the operator stayed on the phone until they arrived.

"One firefighter climbed a ladder and took Jay out and then came back for me."

"I was just thinking get us out. I don't have a clue how it started.

"I want to thank the firefighters for getting us out."

She said her son was calmer than she was. The two were taken to hospital but released the next day.

Next door neighbour Mandy Wilson said: "I could smell smoke but it wasn't until the fire engines arrived that I knew what was going on. I saw Tracey and her son at the top window.

"It was very scary for us [the neighbours] we just wanted to see both of them get out ok. The firefighters were brilliant. They managed to calm Tracey down and get them out safely."

Dave Stokes, station manager at Stevenage Fire Station said: "The crews worked quickly to get into the house and tackle the fire downstairs and at the same time they rescued the lady and her son from the first floor window.

"I would really like to urge people to make sure they have a working smoke alarm in their home. They're not just an early warning, they're your only warning."

The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed.