An elderly lady had to be rescued by a passer-by and a neighbour fought flames during a fire in Erith on Wednesday.

The anonymous passer-by kicked down the door of the terraced house in Ramsden Road and rescued the 82-year-old just as the fire brigade arrived.

James Rundell, 41, from Stelling Road, was in his garden at the time and jumped over his fence to fight the fire with a garden hose. After, he had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The lady, who said she thought she had fallen asleep while cooking, was taken to hospital and also treated for smoke inhalation.

The house suffered 20 per cent of damage after a fire started on the ground floor at about 10.30am.

It had no smoke alarm.

A spokesman from Erith fire station said he would like to remind residents that the Fire Brigade runs a home fire safety scheme which means a crew will visit your home and fit a smoke alarm free of charge.

* To book a home fire safety visit call 08000 28 44 28.