A PENSIONER has been praised for acting in a "textbook" manner after a fire broke out at her home.

The incident happened at about 9.30pm on Sunday, when the woman's son accidentally set fire to a bedroom of the house at Diomed Court, Marton Manor, Middlesbrough, with a discarded cigarette.

When the pensioner went upstairs to close the curtains, she smelled smoke, and immediately left the house and called the fire brigade. Station officer Tony Suggitt said her correct actions spared her from injury and the house from unnecessary damage.

"Her actions were textbook," he said. "There have been an awful lot of serious incidents where people have tried to tackle the fire and injured themselves.

"Because the lady called us straight away, the damage was limited."