Children were forced to flee from a house in Ipswich which was on fire before crews arrived to tackle the blaze.

Firefighters were called to a property in Lupin Road shortly after 5.45pm yesterday after a report of a house fire where an elderly man was unable to get out.

There were also three children in the house, who did manage to leave. One of them stayed on the phone to the control centre at Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service until the fire engines arrived.

The crews - two from Princes Street, one from Ipswich East - found a three-storey house well alight.

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus fought the fire using a covering jet.

They reported that everyone from inside the property was accounted for and that an adult and three children were being assessed by paramedics.

The fire was reported under control by 6.17pm.