A woman used a garden hose in a desperate bid to stop a blaze in a neighbours house. Tracey Cooper went into action yesterday when she saw smoke pouring from the roof of a house in Station Road, Burton Latimer. But Mrs Cooper, who was in the garden of her parents' home when she spotted the blaze was forced to abandon her attempt.

She said: "My sister Sharon went to ring the fire brigade and I went round with the hose but it was no use. A fireman from over the road at Alumasc was there as well, and he told everybody to get out. By the time this had happened, the fire brigade had arrived."

The roof of the semi-detached house was destroyed and the fire spread to the house next door, damaging part of the roof. The bedrooms of both homes were also badly damaged by the blaze, which started just before 4pm. Firemen from Kettering and Burton Latimer stayed at the scene for more than five hours to make sure the smouldering roof timbers did not catch light again.

The occupants of the house, Harry and Elizabeth Firmin, left the building when the alarm was raised. They were treated for shock by a doctor. The house next door is occupied by Edna and Alison Lewin. Firemen believe the blaze was started by a blow lamp being used to strip paint