FREE smoke alarms are to be handed out on a Darlington estate after a kitchen blaze at the weekend.

A young man, believed to be in his 20s, dialled 999 after waking to find his first-floor flat on fire, in Ruskin Road, Skerne Park, early yesterday.

He jumped out of the window and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Fire crew manager Robin Turnbull said: "Without wanting to sound dramatic, this could have been a fatality.

"The young man did not have a smoke alarm and it was the actual smoke which woke him up. He is lucky it did and that he managed to get out.

"An incident like this shows the importance of having a smoke alarm.

"I'll be going back to the estate next week and knocking on neighbouring properties to make sure that people are aware of the importance of smoke alarms. We give them out for free and fit them."

Mr Turnbull said the blaze began because the man started cooking but then fell asleep. He raised the alarm just after 3am.

Firefighters tackled the flames for an hour-and-an-half.

The fire severely damaged the kitchen and smoke damaged the rest of the flat.

Anyone who wants a free alarm, including installation, should call Darlington fire station on (01325) 469128.