FIRE chiefs have praised the quick thinking of a control operator who helped save the lives of a couple trapped in their home by a fire.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue control operator Emma Allison has been singled out for the advice she gave to the panic-stricken couple after they called 999 when they realised their house was on fire.

The couple were stranded on the first floor of their home in Thirsk in the early hours of Friday after their fireplace caught fire and engulfed the ground floor in flames and smoke.

Ms Allison took the call and managed to get exact directions to the house and also contacted firefighters to tell them where the couple were in the house.

She also urged them to shut the bedroom door and to block the gap at the bottom of the door with bedding to stop smoke coming through.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly managed to find the couple and take them to safety before the fire was put out two hours later.

Although most of the ground floor was ruined by fire and smoke, fire chiefs are convinced that Ms Allison's advice and calm guidance helped save the couple's lives.

Deputy chief fire officer Nigel Hutchinson said: "I am very proud of the professionalism displayed by Emma. Her quick thinking ensured this incident had a happy ending. Without it I am certain we would be looking at a tragedy.

"The couple were woken by the heat breaking a mirror in their lounge. If the smoke detector that was installed had had the battery correctly fitted, they could have been alerted to the fire a lot sooner."