A MOTHER has received a certificate of congratulation for her brave actions during a house fire.

Amanda Barnes, from the village of Minster, near Sheerness, received the accolade from Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry at a ceremony at Kent Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Maidstone.

The blaze happened in the village’s Noreen Avenue on Christmas Eve.

A fire service spokesman said: “The blaze started in the ground floor of the property but the occupant and her two children were unware that it had broken out and they became trapped by acrid smoke.

“Her neighbour, Amanda, heard her cries for help, saw smoke billowing from the property and ran to her house to assist.

“Arriving at the house, Amanda realised that there were no ladders available to get the family out of the burning building. She spotted a wheelie bin, pushed it to the side of the house, climbed on top of it and began helping her neighbour to lower the children to safety.

“Amanda then helped her neighbour lower herself out of the building. When fire crews arrived, everyone had been safely rescued, Without her prompt actions the incident could have been far more serious.”