Neighbours of a family forced to flee their home when a blaze broke out have praised firefighters.

The end-of-terrace home in Kirkstead Walk, Stocking Farm, Leicester, was gutted in the blaze.

One person was rescued from the burning building and neighbouring homes also had to be evacuated for about an hour.

Emergency services were called to the fire, which is believed to have started accidentally, at about 1.55am on Thursday.

The family – thought to be a mother and two young children – were too upset to talk.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said: "It is awful. I am just glad that they got out safely.

"The whole house has been ruined but, thankfully, the firefighters brought it under control before it spread to the other properties.

"I dread to think what could have happened if they hadn't."

A neighbour said she had been asleep and a friend had let firefighters in to wake her up.

She said: "It must have been about 2am when I woke up to find a firefighter in my room.

"He was telling me to get up and get out of the house as quickly as I could. I didn't know what was going on until I saw the flames."