Cake-loving dog sparks house fire

A mouthful of birthday cake nearly cost a puppy her life and her owners their newly-decorated home.

Peggy, a Rottweiler cross, accidentally switched on the electric hob in East Sleekburn, Northumberland, while jumping onto a kitchen bench.

This set the cake box alight, which started a blaze which gutted the kitchen and severely damaged the house.

The six-month old puppy took refuge in the bath, where firefighters found her almost dead, but managed to revive her.

The family, Tony and Lorraine Shaw, and their two children, were not in the house at the time, and Mr Shaw's birthday cake had been left on the worktop which they thought their pet would not be able to reach.

Mr Shaw, a 46-year-old lorry driver, said that it was initially thought she had died.

They were pumping her chest and it took them 45 minutes to revive her Tony Shaw, owner

He said: "My neighbour loves her to bits and he went to say goodbye.

"But then he felt a slight movement and the fire brigade brought out the breathing apparatus.

"They were pumping her chest and it took them 45 minutes to revive her."

He thanked the crew for saving his dog and his home.

He added: "They were just excellent, they got her out very quickly.

"Even though there was so much damage, it could have been a lot worse."