A woman and three children had to be rescued by firefighters in the early hours of this morning after a fire broke out in their home.

Fire crews from Norbury fire station were called to the blaze at the house in Pitt Road, Thornton Heath, at 12.40am and had to use breathing apparatus to go inside and rescue the occupants, who were all suffering from smoke inhalation.

The fire was under control within half an hour, though it did damage part of the ground floor and there was heavy smoke throughout the building.

The fire brigade said the cause of the fire was under investigation and those rescued were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service.