A MOTHER-OF-TWO was rescued by a neighbour after she went back into her burning home to retrieve her mobile phone.

The heat of the fire was so intense that Nicola Llewellyn's television, and front-room fixtures and fittings melted.

A neighbour who rang 999 saw Miss Llewellyn re-enter her blazing home in Raby Gardens, Hartlepool.

The 20-year-old had reached the top of her stairs, when the neighbour, who does not want to be named, caught up with her.

The 43-year-old said: "I just grabbed her arm and ran her down the stairs."

Miss Llewellyn confirmed she went back into her home to retrieve her mobile phone, which she intended to use to call the fire brigade.

She initially went to her neighbour's house to get help, having got her two children, both under five, out of the house.

The neighbour said: "I did not see the smoke at first, but when I opened my door, the street seemed black."

Miss Llewellyn and her two children were safe in the neighbour's house when fire crews arrived on the scene, at about 9.35am yesterday.

Cleveland Fire Brigade watch manager Kevin Boffy said the three were lucky to be alive.

He said that because of the heat, it was initially not possible to send firefighters into the building.

It is understood Miss Llewellyn's four-year-old son, Connor, was in the lounge, where the fire started, while his mother was upstairs.

The neighbour was given oxygen after he inhaled smoke. Mr Boffy said: "The child was downstairs and is very lucky to be alive.

"The fire melted most of downstairs, and there was severe smoke damage to the neighbouring property."

The fire started on a settee in the front room of the house.