A mother whose two young sons had to be rescued from a blaze in their home said tragedy was only averted because of a smoke alarm.

Fardous Sabir, 33, was putting her daughters, aged one-and-a-half, four and seven, to bed when she heard the smoke alarm go off.

She said: "If it wasn't for the smoke alarm I wouldn't have known until a big gush of fire had come into the bedroom."

She found a bed and mattress in the front bedroom consumed by flames.

Mrs Sabir said she tried to smother the blaze with a blanket, but the fire spread. She ran downstairs to phone the fire service before trying to get the children out of the house.

Her 12-year-old son Rihan had gone to bed in an adjoining room and was asleep with the door locked from the inside when the fire broke out, while Daniel, her ten-year-old son who has epilepsy and behavioural problems, had locked himself in the bathroom after accidentally starting the fire.

Mrs Sabir said she started to panic after she failed to get the boys to unlock the doors and was forced to flee the house with her three daughters.

Firefighters were able to rescue Rihan and Daniel before they came to any harm.

"If it wasn't for the alarm everything would have been on fire," said Mrs Sabir.

She praised the firefighters, from Odsal and Bradford stations, and neighbours who had also helped.

None of the family was injured in the blaze, but Mrs Sabir said both she and the baby had suffered coughs caused by the effects of smoke.

The front bedroom of the house, in New Cross Street, West Bowling, was badly damaged by smoke in the blaze, which broke out at about 9.40pm on Tuesday.

l West Yorkshire Fire Service carries out a free home alarm testing and fitting service. Call 0800 457 4536 for details.

e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk