Mother and son rescued

A woman and her 10-year-old son were rescued from their burning Darlaston home by firefighters early today after fire broke out in their kitchen.

Kim Myring and her son Chad were taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke after they escaped from a first-floor window at the terraced house in All Saints' Road shortly after 1am.

Her daughter Jade Myring, who lives in a nearby flats, said she was alerted to the incident at the privately rented house by a neighbour who called round.

Miss Myring, aged 18, said: "I just want to thank the firefighters for saving their lives and also for coming round a month ago to fit the smoke alarm.

"My mother told me she was woken up by the smoke alarm and by then the house was thick with smoke. She couldn't get to my brother's room so he had to make his way to her's. If it wasn't for the alarm they might not have been so lucky."

Fire and police investigations into the cause of the blaze have been launched.