Firefighters rescued a cat and a rabbit from a fire in which a 70-year-old woman suffered smoke inhalation.

Fire engines from Billericay and Basildon rushed to the fire at the semi-detached chalet-style house in Mill Road, Billericay, at 10.50am.

When crews arrived they found the bedroom on the ground floor was on fire.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus immediately entered the property and had extinguished the fire by 11:40am.

Crews rescued a 20-year-old cat called Holly and a rabbit from the property.

Crews brought them outside into the fresh air for safety.

The occupant, a 70 year old woman, suffered smoke inhalation and was left in the care of the ambulance service.

A spokesman from the ambulance service said the woman was treated for smoke inhalation and shock, but did not require hospital treatment.

The incident has been recorded as accidental.

The cause of the fire is thought to be an electrical fault.