An Essex family with no working smoke alarms had a lucky escape – after the son smelled smoke and discovered a fire in the kitchen.

Two fire crews were called to a house in Sparrow Close in Sible Hedingham, near the Suffolk/Essex border, at 6.23am today.

When they arrived they found the home full of smoke and worked quickly to put out the flames and clear the house.

Station manager Steve Byrne said: “Thankfully the son smelled the smoke, realised there was a fire and did the right thing by getting out, staying out and calling 999.

“Because there were no working smoke alarms in the house, if the son had not noticed the smoke when he did it could have been a very different story.

“Smoke alarms alert you and your family to the first sign of fire – they are life savers and it’s so important you have at least one on each level of your home.”

The fire was completely out by 7am and the blaze, which started in a dishwasher, caused some damage to the kitchen.