FIRE crews fought in vain to save a dog trapped in a burning house yesterday.

The 17-month-old Alsatian bitch was overcome by fumes at the house in The Causeway, in the Eastbourne area of Darlington.

The occupiers of the house were out at work when the fire started under the floorboards in the kitchen, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

A neighbour heard the smoke alarm and alerted the fire brigade.

Station officer Kevin Thompson said when firefighters arrived the kitchen was badly smoke logged, because the fire had been burning under the floor boards for some time.

He said: "We managed to get the dog out alive and gave it oxygen and heart massage, but sadly it died."