DARTMOUTH firefighters rescued three cats from a town restaurant early on Wednesday morning after they were called to attend to an electrical fire.
Glynne Puckey, manager of Bayards Restaurant in Lower Street, was sleeping on the third floor of the building when he was woken by a smoke alarm at around 3.30am.
He tried to fight the fire himself, but the smoke got too thick and he called in the fire brigade.
The restaurant's owners, Pam and Dave Aston, were not at home when the fire started in a mains electrical box, causing damage to the wiring system.
Mr Puckey said: 'I am still a bit shaken up, but the cats, Tommy, Tico and Pepe are fine.
'There is some smoke damage in the hallway, and the fuse box is burnt out.
Dartmouth fire chief, Barrie French, said: 'Luckily the smoke alarm did its job because it is an old building and the fire could easily have taken hold.'