QUICK-acting neighbours rushed to the rescue of a widowed grandmother who was trapped in her first floor bedroom as fire swept through her semi-detached home.

Helen Cove, understood to be in her 60s, is recovering from burns to her lower arm and hand and smoke inhalation, at Margate’s QEQM hospital.

She has lost almost all her possesions, including her pet budgerigar, personal items and Christmas presents after fire broke out in the property in Kingston Avenue, Garlinge, near Margate, at about 1am on Thursday.

Friend and neighbour Joan Moran, 62, lives in the other part of the building and became anxious when her dogs Ben and Penny started barking frantically towards twice-widowed Mrs Cove’s bedroom window.

Mrs Moran said: "I let the dogs out and a big black waft of smoke came in. I looked out and could see Helen hanging out of her window, screaming for help.

"It was most horrific, I rang the fire brigade and then went to get ladders from my shed, I kept talking to Helen to try and make sure she was alright."

Mrs Moran, who is partially disabled, managed to get her ladders out of the shed and over the fence in an effort to put them against the side of the conservatory below her friend’s bedroom window in an effort to climb up to help her. But the ladders fell from her reach.

She continued: "I ran to the front of the house. There were people out there and flames coming out of everywhere and lots of smoke. It was quite horrific.

"I have never been so scared in my life because I was so close to Helen who was crying for help but could not reach her.

Mrs Cove’s younger son Christopher, 24, who is in the Army, had returned from an outing and also raised the alarm.

John Ralph, the neighbour on the other side, and another man Ted from opposite put the ladders up against the side of the conservatory.

Mrs Cove had managed to get out of the window. They helped her down the ladders. She received oxygen and was taken to hospital.

For three hours, Mrs Moran was unable to go back into her smoke-logged house which was under threat from the intense heat next door.

Another neighbour and close friend, Jenny Ralph, said the blaze had been a terrible shock in the close neighbourhood. Many had rallied around to offer support and make cups of tea for the rescuers.

Mrs Moran is indebted to support she has had from Mrs Cove following the deaths of her mother and sister who had both been living with her.

Mrs Cove, has lived in the area for more than 25 years and is an active community member.

Mrs Moran stressed: "Helen has been very good to me and I have asked her to come and stay here for as long as she wants while she gets sorted."

She praised firefighters for their actions including constant vigilance checking her property and the fact that they fitted new smoke alarms at the scene.

Four fire pumps from Margate, Ramsgate and Westgate attended.

Firefighters are stressing the importance of having smoke alarms fitted.

Watch Manager Steven Flint said: "If we had been there a minute later, she could have died. Unfortunately, the property did not have smoke detectors. It’s only thanks to quick-thinking neighbours and her son who alerted her to the fire she is alive."

Fire investigators found the fire had started after nylon clothing was left on a storage heater.

The property was 100 percent damaged on the first floor, and 80 percent on the ground floor.

Firefighters are now installing smoke detectors in neighbouring houses, carrying out home fire safety checks and supplying information.

Mr Flint added: "It’s especially sad for this to happen at Christmas time and for someone to be made homeless like this.

"The incident also highlights the need to have a night time routine, shut doors to stop fire spreading and have an escape plan."