A MAN had to leap for his life as flames engulfed his home.

Neil Ferguson jumped ten feet to the ground from the top of his porch after smashing his way through a first-floor side window.

The 26-year-old was treated for smoke inhalation and cuts by paramedics, who were called to Middlesbrough's Pallister Park council estate.

His four dogs were killed in the blaze, which reduced the mid terrace house at Chirton Green to a burned-out shell.

"It is not very often we get a fire as severe as this. The gentleman has been very lucky," said Station Officer Ron Carr, of Cleveland Fire Brigade.

"As we turned the corner into the street the fire was very easy to find. Flames were coming out of every opening. The ground floor was a furnace, and flames were coming out of the upstairs windows.

"Looking through the front window, you could see nothing inside but a wall of flame.''

It took firefighters 50 minutes to bring the blaze under control.

The flames broke through the roof threatening homes on either side, forcing the evacuation of neighbours.

Smoker Mr Ferguson had been asleep in bed, at about 10pm on Saturday, when it is thought either the barking of the dogs or the crackling of flames woke him up.

Cleveland Police investigated the blaze but found nothing suspicious.