TWO schoolboys have been praised by firefighters after raising the alarm when they saw a city house ablaze.

The blaze destroyed the ground floor of the home, on the corner of Shrub Hill and Lowesmoor Terrace at 3.30pm yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters arriving at the scene were told there was a possibility that people were trapped inside.

Four crew members wearing specialist breathing equipment searched the building, but found it was empty.

The alarm was raised by Mark Allen, aged 11, from Astwood Road, and James Sharp, 12, from Liverpool Road. The boys were in the car with Mark's mum Mandy when they saw the smoke coming out of a house on the corner

"We were coming down the road and we saw thick black smoke coming out of the doors and the window so we told my mum, who called the fire brigade," said Mark, who attends Stanley Road Primary School.

The boys told Mark's mum, Mandy, who called the fire brigade on her mobile at approximately 3.30pm and two fire engines were at the scene within three minutes.

A spokesman for the fire brigade congratulated the boys for being alert and said they did a very good job.

"Good for them and congratulations on behalf of the fire brigade. Obviously, they have had some good lessons about fire at their school," he said

"We are keen to teach youngsters about fire safety and what to do in such a situation,"

Worcester Fire Station chief John Dasgupta said it was a "substantial fire" and the cause had still not been determined.