AN ELDERLY woman was rescued after a fire broke out in her bungalow in Bedford Road, Weymouth.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said 10 firefighters were involved dealing with the blaze, which was believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

A spokesman said an armchair was destroyed and the bungalow was damaged by smoke.

Neighbour Rosemary Young said the home belonged to 86-year-old Betty Berry.

She praised the response of the fire service, who were on the scene within minutes of the bungalow's alarm going off and helped the elderly woman out of the premises before an ambulance treated her at the scene Mrs Young said: "The brigade were brilliant. I came outside and there was smoke coming out, they brought her out and phoned an ambulance.

"All that matters is that she's all right. It could have been much worse."

A fire service spokesman said firefighters from Weymouth would soon be visiting all eight bungalows in Bedford Road to give residents advice.