Firefighters rescued a woman from her home in the early hours of this morning after a blaze ripped through it.
A passerby who was on an early morning cycle ride spotted the bungalow on Hall Road in Carlton Colville on fire and called the emergency services at 5.14am.
Five fire engines from across the region attended the scene with firefighters rescuing the homeowner from the back of her home.
The fire was out by 6.52am.
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Mel Buck, the fire incident commander at the scene, said: "A passerby saw flames coming from the roof and called the fire service.
"On arrival the roof of the building was well alight and one person was rescued at the back of the house from the fire service.
"Extensive damage has been done to the roof, as well as lots of fire and water damage to the front of the bungalow.
"We are working now with the fire investigator to see what the cause is."
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One neighbour, a 74-year-old man, said residents in the street are all "so relieved" that the female occupant is alive and the fire didn’t spread.
He said: "I think I am speaking on behalf of everybody on this street, we are all so relieved that despite the devastation nobody was hurt, and my neighbour was fortunate to escape death.
"I did hear some noise and had a look and the noise of the house burning was haunting, massive huge plumes of smoke.
"So I want to give a huge special mention and thank you to the incredible fire service who incredibly dealt with the fire, saved our neighbour's life and prevented the fire from spreading."
READ MORE: Woman thanks neighbours who saved her from "certain death" as her house catches fire
Another woman, who had lived on Hall Road for more than 20 years, said it was the “last thing” she expected to wake up to this morning following the heavy rain yesterday.
She said: “Unlike my late husband, who always would have been up at the crack of dawn, I like to get out of bed at 9.
"After the heavy rain yesterday, this road believe it or not was flooded, so waking to see my dear neighbour's house had been on fire was the last thing I expected, it is devastating."
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