THREE dogs and a cat owe their lives to a neighbour and fire crew who rescued them, after a fire broke out at a house in Ashburton.

Chimney sweep Charlie Dennis, of Emmetts Park, had just got home from the dentist when other neighbours were alerted by a smoke alarm sounding in the house next door.

Knowing that three dogs were trapped inside and that the owners were at work, he got into the house to release them.

'You couldn't see into the house, it was thick brown smoke. When I got in, it hit me: acrid, horrible, brown stink. I opened the cage and two of them ran out. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

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