A young woman taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries from a house fire in Fakenham is in a stable condition this afternoon, according to police.

The woman, believed to be in her late teens, suffered severe burns to her throat and was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

The fire was at a home on Church Lanes on Tuesday afternoon and investigations into its cause are continuing today.

Police do not believe the cause of the fire to be suspicious.

Phil Berry, station manager for Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service urban search and rescue team, who attended the fire, praised the person who called 999 who, he said, may have saved the woman's life.

He said: 'The caller was able to provide clear information about where the lady was in the house and this was invaluable as every second counts in these circumstances.

'I would urge other people in the same situation to give us as much information as they can to us.

'The information is dispatched straight to the crew going to the scene so does not delay any response and is vital in helping them plan how to deal with the situation.

'I would urge everyone to view our website where thy can see more information about this.'

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was called at 1.05pm and sent an ambulance, an ambulance officer and the East Anglian Air Ambulance critical care team to the scene.

The woman was anaesthetised by the critical care medics when they arrived.

Sean McAuley, an EEAST manager who attended the scene, said: 'The fire and rescue service had rescued a teenage girl who had been trapped for some time in a heavily smoke filled environment.

'We treated and stabilised the patient before taking her to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital for continuation of treatment for injuries sustained during the fire.'

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service sent appliances from Fakenham, Wells, Massingham and Holt to deal with the blaze.

The area from Litchfield Street, off Queen's Road, was closed off to the public.