A MOTHER, her son and their pet dog were at the centre of a dramatic rescue today when their home caught fire.

Lady the dog, her fur blackened by smoke, was carried to safety by firefighters as they tackled the blaze at the house in Wiltshire Close, Princes Park, Chatham. Lady's owners, Donna Hobden, 42, and her 21-year-old son Les, had already been pulled to safety.

The three were found huddled together in an upstairs back bedroom after waking up to discover thick black smoke billowing through the house at around 1.30am. They were not alerted to the fire sooner as the smoke alarm didn't have a battery fitted.

Mrs Hobden was dragged out of the house through the bathroom window and her son was led out by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

Mrs Hobden suffered shock and smoke inhalation and her son had cuts to his foot. Both were treated Medway Maritime Hospital. Lady was taken in by neighbours Tina and John Willis after being brought out of the house by a firefighter.

The fire, which is thought to have been started by a smouldering cigarette, caused extensive damage to the ground floor and smoke damage to the rest of the three bedroom, terraced house.