The residents of two homes in Penryn had a lucky escape on Saturday after they were woken by the sound of smoke alarms from a neighbouring house.

Sue Moss and Isabella Banks, who live either side of the empty house on the Helston Road were alerted to the blaze at around 1am on Thursday morning, and when they went outside they saw a fire in the house.

Sue said at first she could not find the source of the noise: “I came outside |and so did the lady next door but one to |me, and we quickly worked out it was |the fire detectors from next door, and |I could see flames through the window in |the door.

Isabella said: “I heard a beeping noise for a long time, and so I came downstairs and checked the house and outside and then I went back up to bed. It went on and was really annoying so I couldn’t get back to sleep.

“I smelled smoke but couldn’t find any. |I went outside and Sue came out, and |we checked the house in the middle and |saw flames, so I quickly came upstairs to |get my son.

“Sue saw a passing police officer and I called the fire brigade, and they came really quickly.”

Cornwall Fire Service reported that two pumping engines from Falmouth Community Fire Station, with 12 firefighters and a wholetime officer, |were sent to |the scene, and used breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and one covering jet to tackle the ground |floor blaze.

A spokesperson said everybody was accounted for, and The British Red Cross Fire & Emergency Support Service vehicle offered support to those affected, while Western Power was called to deal with an electrical overhead line.

Sue said the house was a rented property from which the tenants had moved the week before, and said: “Had it not been for the detectors I can’t imagine what would have happened “It would be fair to say that they saved me.”

Isabella added: “It was a really lucky escape. It was really lucky that there was no-one in that house either.”