A WOMAN was found collapsed at the top of stairs after she was overcome by smoke from a bedroom fire.

A candle had fallen onto the floor after being left unattended and set light to clothing and the carpet around 5.10pm last night.

The 42-year-old occupant of the terraced house in Ashlea Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was downstairs at the time and was alerted by a cracking noise as the property did not have a smoke alarm.

She then discovered the fire and attempted to put it out, but was overcome by the smoke and collapsed.

A spokesman for the fire service said that the woman's husband came home early from work and found his wife at the top of the stairs.

"With the help of a passer-by he managed to carry his wife downstairs into the lounge where they put her in the recovery position and called the emergency services," he said.

"She was taken to hospital suffering from severe smoke inhalation."