PETS across south Devon have a fighting chance of surviving house fires thanks to the generosity of a Newton Abbot business.

Electrical installation contractors Aspire Electrical donated £1,000 to pay for 11 pet oxygen ‘resus’ kits to be distributed to fire crews from Exeter to Dartmouth, taking in Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey and Ashburton.

Aspire’s managing director Neil Hammacott revealed that a press story about Newton Abbot’s use of the device to save puppies in a Bovey Tracey blaze inspired him to dip into the coffers.

‘If anything like this was to happen again I would like to think the firefighters have the equipment to save more pets,’ he said.

He was delighted to make the donation to the Smokey Paws group which distributes the pet oxygen masks.

Rob Cude, crew manager at Newton Abbot Fire Station, was grateful to Neil and his company based on the Brunel Industrial Estate.

‘It was a very generous gesture. It means both our appliances for the town are equipped with this excellent kit. The others are being distributed around local stations this week,’ he said.