A WOMAN was rescued from a house fire in Stocksfield in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Firefighters from Prudhoe and Hexham were assisted by a crew from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service when a report of a blaze at a property on New Ridley Road came in at 3.50am.

The female inside made the call to the fire service before collapsing while trying to make her way to safety, and was rescued by firefighters.

She was treated at the scene by the North East Ambulance Service, who sent an ambulance and two vehicles from the hazardous area response team to the incident.

The woman was said to be conscious before being taken to Newcastle's RVI.

Lee Buckingham, emergency response group manager at Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire had started in a bedroom on the first floor of the semi-detached property.

He added: "It's believed to have been accidental and a smoke alarm in the property was activated."