A MUM has thanked her three-year-old for saving her life in a house fire.

Claire Clitheroe said that, if it hadn’t been for the actions of daughter Alexis, she could have died.

Fire chiefs and neighbours have also hailed the youngster as a hero for raising the alarm when her home became badly smoke logged.

Alexis woke up in the early hours of yesterday morning after thick black smoke poured into her bedroom causing her to cough and splutter.

The youngster, who normally sleeps through the night, ran to her mum's bedroom waking her up and repeating the word ‘mummy’ in a distressed state.

Ms Clitheroe, who had only moved into the rented semi-detached house two weeks ago, said: "I thought she'd just had a nightmare or something and I was taking her.

"And then when I got out onto the landing the house was filled with thick black smoke.

“Alexis must have known something was wrong and that's why she refused to get back into bed.

"We would have been dead if she had not woken me up.

"The smoke was highly toxic and we were having difficulty breathing and were starting to feel dizzy and faint.

"There was so much smoke I could just about see my hand in front of me.

"And the alarms in the house weren't working. We are incredibly lucky that she thought to wake me up."

The 24-year-old, who works as a salesperson, covered the toddler's head and body in a dressing gown before she made her way outside with her sister Lauren Skinner, 21, who was also staying at the house.

But after evacuating, Ms Clitheroe, realised that she had left her two six-week old kittens, Pepper and George, in the house.

She said: "I had to go back in through all the black smoke. It was horrible but I couldn't leave them in there.

"They normally sleep in a basket in the kitchen but I couldn't see them anywhere but I could hear them crying.

"And then I looked by the freezer and they were huddled up together in a right state."

Ms Clitheroe, who moved out of her previous house in Gannow Lane, Burnley, after the roof collapsed, put the kittens into a blue wash-bag before carrying them out of the house.

After leaving their home the family and some neighbours remained outside for more than two hours as firefighters dealt with the incident.

The fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault and the wiring had been smouldering near the front door before the toddler woke up and discovered the smoke.

Next-door neighbour, Patricia Sledden, 45, who was also evacuated from her home with her 12-year-old pet Chihuahua, Wallace, praised the toddler.

The grandmother-of-two said: "I just want to say thank you to the little one because if she hadn't woken her mum we could have all gone up.

"It was very lucky that she smelt the smoke.

"I was in bed when I heard all this commotion and noise and by the time I got downstairs people were shouting that there was a fire next door.”

Ms Clitheroe added: “We're now going to have to look for somewhere else to live."

Fire chiefs said that smoke alarms in the house were not working properly.

Crew manager Darrell Sturgess said: “The property was heavily smoke logged when we arrived.

"The fire could have escalated but luckily the little girl woke up and alerted her mum to the fire.

“A fault with the wiring caused the fire.

“It could potentially have been very serious as the smoke alarms in the property were not working.

“I would everyone to ensure they have smoke alarms fitted in their homes and test them to make sure they are working.”