A kitten was saved from a serious house fire which firefighters spent nearly two hours tackling.

Neighbours had tried to enter the two-storey house, in Holyrood Drive in Dersingham, when the fire broke out on Friday afternoon, but the smoke and flames were too much.

Fireman Tim Edwards tweeted: 'Fire crews battled to save two dogs rescued from a serious house in Dersingham this afternoon but they died as a result of smoke inhalation.'

The dogs were a Staffie and a three-and-a-half-year-old mixed-breed dog - not a Labrador pup, as previously stated by a fire service spokesman.

The fire started in the kitchen, and firefighters were called at 1.13pm.

Three crews, with a total of 14 firefighters, managed to contain the fire to the kitchen.

A fire service spokesman said the fire started in a tumble dryer, but the owner, who was not in the house when the fire started, said it actually started at the socket where the appliance was plugged.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus and hose reel jets.

An ambulance was despatched to the scene because of concerns that a man and woman may have suffered smoke inhalation, but the firefighters on the scene turned the paramedics back because they did not need treatment.

The fire was declared over at 3.02pm, and a fire service spokesman said the house was 'heavily smoke logged'.