A WOMAN was rescued by firefighters from the bedroom of her burning Hedge End home last night when a blaze engulfed the ground floor.

After raising the alarm, the woman - believed to be in her mid-30s - talked to the fire control room by telephone as her rescuers made their way to the terraced house in Cranbourne Park.

Today, firefighters praised the householder who was alone in the premises, for keeping calm and carrying out instructions given to her by fire control.

Firefighters rescued her using a nine-metre ladder and a Hampshire ambulance crew treated the woman for smoke inhalation before taking her to hospital.

Three fire engines and 16 firefighters from Hightown, Southampton and Botley were called to the scene shortly after 10pm.

Sub Officer Rob Cole said: "On arrival there was smoke coming out of the ground floor and someone trapped upstairs by the fire. We were told that en route by fire control."

He said the householder had been alerted to the fire by a smoke detector, had looked downstairs to see smoke and flames, but had done the right thing by shutting a door to try and contain the blaze before being asked to go back upstairs by fire control.

Sub Officer Cole added: "She did all the things that were asked of her. She shut the door, put a blanket down to stop smoke coming in, opened the window and had her head outside the window taking advice from fire control while we were en route."

Firefighters had to break through the front door to tackle the blaze and used four breathing sets, two high-pressure hose reels and one jet to extinguish the fire.

The blaze started in the kitchen of the house but today firefighters said the cause was still being investigated.