A QUICK- THINKING neighbour potentially saved the life of an elderly woman after she spotted smoke billowing from her home.

Kelly Archer saw the smoke coming from her next-door neighbour's house in South Avenue, Southend, and dialled 999, enabling firefighters to rush to the property and rescue the pensioner from her bed.

The woman had gone upstairs to her bedroom for the night not knowing a fire had broken out in her lounge.

Miss Archer, 22, said: "I went out to put my rubbish bags out and I smelt the fire.

"I didn't think much of it. I thought it was a bonfire or something, until I saw smoke pouring out of the vents.

"I called the fire brigade, who went in, and I saw them bring her out in her night dress."

The mother-of-two joined other neighbours in the street to watch firefighters administer oxygen to the 66-year-old woman once she was safely outside.

Miss Archer added: "They were bringing her sofa cushions out and extinguishing them in the road."

The elderly woman was later taken by ambulance to Southend Hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.

Miss Archer said she was relieved she had called the fire brigade, as she had almost dismissed the fire as someone's overcooked dinner.

She said: "I thought, I don't want to look silly if she's just burnt her dinner or something', but when I saw smoke coming out of the top vents as well as the bottom, I knew it must have been a serious fire."

Derek Crabb, 72, who lives opposite, said he had been watching TV when he heard the commotion outside.

He said: "I was just in my front room watching the snooker and heard a heavy vehicle coming past.

"I looked out and saw blue flashing lights so I came out. There were quite a few people in the street."

Fire service station officer Barry May said: "The fire started in the ground floor lounge. Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus gained entrance and rescued an elderly lady from her bed."

He said the fire, which broke out at 9.55pm on Wednesday, appeared accidental and they would not be investigating.

Joy Pudney, spokeswoman for the ambulance service, said the woman had been "conscious and breathing" when she was taken to hospital and her condition was not life-threatening.

were bringing her sofa cushions out and extinguishing them in the road."

The elderly woman was later taken by ambulance to Southend Hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.

Miss Archer said she was relieved she had called the fire brigade, as she had almost dismissed the fire as someone's overcooked dinner.

She said: "I thought, I don't want to look silly if she's just burnt her dinner or something', but when I saw smoke coming out of the top vents as well as the bottom, I knew it must have been a serious fire."

Derek Crabb, 72, who lives opposite, said he had been watching TV when he heard the commotion outside.

He said: "I was just in my front room watching the snooker and heard a heavy vehicle coming past.

"I looked out and saw blue flashing lights so I came out. There were quite a few people in the street."

Fire service station officer Barry May said: "The fire started in the ground floor lounge. Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus gained entrance and rescued an elderly lady from her bed."

He said the fire, which broke out at 9.55pm on Wednesday, appeared to be accidental and they would not investigate.