Children rescued from burning house in Gosport

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Police are treating the blaze as suspicious

A number of children were lifted to safety by a neighbour after a fire broke out at a house in Hampshire.

Grant Stevens rushed to the property in Bramber Road, Gosport, when the blaze broke out at about 0500 GMT.

He climbed on to the roof of a loft extension and lifted three children down to people below while another child escaped safely.

Two adults also managed to escape from the roof. An investigation is under way.

Neighbouring properties had to be evacuated but no-one was injured, a fire service spokesperson said.

'Flames burning'

Mr Stevens said: "I climbed over the back garden fence and climbed above the kitchen to the top part of roof and passed three children down.

"I didn't think about my safety, I just climbed up there and got the children down.

"The husband jumped and the wife climbed down a ladder."

The flames were very intense and the property is severely damaged Incident commander Al Henrich

Mr Stevens' wife, Tracy, said: "We rushed down there and Grant managed to get on to the roof.

"The flames were burning the husband's feet.

"The children were calm and luckily everyone got down safely which is the most important thing."

Incident commander Al Henrich said: "It was a very serious fire that had already engulfed the hallway of the property.

"The flames were very intense and the property is severely damaged."

He praised the actions of Mr Stevens but said people must be sensible.

"I would be the last person to say don't do anything at all, but at the same time we have to stress try not to panic too much or get drawn into a dangerous situation."