A FOUR-year-old girl saved her family by raising the alarm when fire broke out in her home.

Tifany Irwin started to shout and scream when she saw the fire, and bought her sleeping family valuable time.

The fire, which started in a chippan, destroyed the kitchen of the house in Micklow Close, Redcar, early on Monday morning.

Her father Perry Irwin, 27, said: "We wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for Tifany."

Station Officer Jim Ruse said: "If people could see the devastation caused by a chip pan fire, I'm sure they would take more care. This family is very lucky to be alive.

"A working smoke alarm would have given them more time, and this could be the difference between getting out with smoke inhalation and not getting out at all."