A HEADLESS Cross family had to climb to safety through a window after they were trapped on the first floor of their burning pub.

Redditch firefighters used a nine-metre ladder to reach the woman and a 12-year-old girl after smoke filled the downstairs bar at the Seven Stars pub, Birchfield Road, on Thursday morning.

Leading firefighter Nigel Smart said the pub owner had gone downstairs to investigate and found a seat set alight by a burning cigarette.

He used a fire extinguisher to partially put out the flames but the fire continued and he called the fire brigade.

Mr Smart said: "This situation could have been very serious because there are no smoke alarms inside pubs but the family acted sensibly and were very calm when we arrived.

"We were worried they might try to escape over the roof, which would have been very dangerous with the snow and ice but they were waiting at the window when we arrived."

None of the family suffered serious injury.