A 47-year-old woman was rescued by Redditch fire crews when her bungalow caught fire on Thursday, writes Julian Seva.

The woman was found unconscious in a back room at her home in Birmingham Road opposite the Abbey Stadium.

A serious fire had taken hold in a front room.

A neighbour noticed the smoke and called the fire brigade at about 3.30pm and they arrived at the scene within five minutes.

Sub-officer Bob Morris, of Redditch Fire Station, said: "When we arrived there was a serious fire in the front left-hand room.

"We couldn't get into that room to begin with but myself and Station Officer Andy Sims went around the back to check the windows.

"Although there was some smoke, we could see a woman in a back room who was unconscious on a settee.

"We carried her around the front and into an ambulance where I believe she recovered consciousness later."

The blaze was safely put out in about half an hour, leaving severe fire damage to the front room and 40 per cent smoke damage to the rest of the bungalow.

Crews also rescued a labrador dog from the home.

A fire investigation team is probing the cause of the blaze although police said it was not being treated as suspicious.