Southsea house fire: Elderly woman and dog rescued

An elderly woman and her pet dog have been rescued from a burning house.

Fire crews wore breathing apparatus as they entered the property in Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea, shortly after 12:00 BST.

A passer-by who helped rescue the dog was commended as "very brave" by a Hampshire Fire Service spokesperson.

The woman suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital for treatment. Her condition was not thought to be serious, the spokesperson said.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known and an investigation has been started.

Police cordoned off the road while firefighters extinguished the flames.