A woman and two children have been rescued by firefighters following a fire at their home.

Three fire engines were called to Barnsley Road in Cudworth, Barnsley at 3am on Wednesday morning.

The woman and children were trapped inside the house in the lounge area unable to get out of the front door  due to the door key being in the kitchen where the fire was.

Fire control operators stayed on the phone with the woman giving her valuable fire survival guidance, asking her to close the living room door and place cushions at the bottom of the door to prevent the smoke coming through, while trying to keep her calm.

Fire crews from Cudworth and Barnsley broke in through the front door and led the family to safety.

All three casualties went to hospital with smoke inhalation.

The fire is believed to have started due to an electrical fault in the kitchen.

Area Manager Steve Helps Head of Prevention Protection said; “This is yet another reminder of the importance of having smoke alarms on every level of your home, but also why you should test them regularly.  Only working smoke alarms can save lives, so please,  please do not take smoke alarms down or remove their batteries.”

Also, households should also have an escape plan in place to make sure:

• Escape routes, like front and back doors are clear at all times
• Door and window keys are kept in a safe place at night where everyone can find them
• Everyone in the house, especially children, knows what to do in the event of a fire