Firefighters and control room operators have been praised for saving an elderly woman from a house fire in Margate this morning.

The blaze broke out at the two-storey, semi-detached property in Foreland Avenue at 8.24am and while control room staff gave the woman vital safety guidance on the phone, a crew from Margate was at the scene within five minutes.

They were joined by a crew from Thanet and firefighters wore breathing apparatus to search the house for the 82-year-old lady who is believed to be wheelchair bound.

Craig Newman, watch manager at Margate fire station, said: "Unfortunately the woman lost consciousness while on the phone to our control room but the operators had done an excellent job of finding out where she was. We were directed to her last known location, broke down the door and found her in the hallway, which was completely smoke-logged.

"Crews then performed a snatch rescue and the lady regained consciousness outside. She was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation."

Mr Newman added: "An incident like this shows how vital it is that you give the operators detailed information. Having a smoke alarm and planning an escape route in the event of the fire are also key safety measures."

The blaze – which broke out in the ground floor kitchen - was put out within 15 minutes of the initial call. The cause is believed to be accidental.

Andy Merriman, divisional area commander for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The crews did a great job in pulling the woman to safety so quickly. Much longer and we could have been looking at a very serious outcome, so the Margate community should feel as proud of its firefighters as I do."