TWO kittens died but four others were saved after being rescued by firefighters from a flame and smoke-filled bedroom in Barnton on Saturday evening.

The animals, four kittens and two adults, were discovered unconscious on the floor as the fire swept through the front of the single-storey house in Runcorn Road.

They were all given oxygen but two kittens failed to respond and the four survivors were taken to the Willows Veterinary Hospital in Hartford. A hamster was also given treatment after being discovered in the kitchen frantically running around his cage in the swirling smoke.

Firefighter Ian Kennerley said: 'We could see flames shooting out of a bedroom window. Someone told us the pets were still inside so we forced our way in and found them spread over the floor. There was so much smoke you couldn't seek a thing.

'We didn't know at the time that two of the cats had died but we managed to get them out and handed them over to fire and ambulance personnel who administered oxygen. We found out later that four survived, which we were really pleased about.'

The fire caused widespread damage to the bedroom and heavy smoke logging to the rest of the premises.Watch manager Steve Burrage said the house did not have a smoke alarm. Locals can get one by calling 01606 42283.