A DOG is being hailed a hero after its actions saved a woman from a house blaze caused by an arson attack.

Bailey, the West Highland terrier, had been asleep in the kitchen, but after a burning rag was pushed through the letter box he woke Catherine Siddle by barking and pawing at her leg.

Thanks to Bailey, Miss Siddle managed to make her way to safety through her smoke filled home, in Charlotte Street, South Moor, near Stanley, County Durham.

She said: “I opened my eyes and I could see black things floating in front of them. Bailey went ‘woof woof woof’ and he went to the front door.

“There were flames all the way up the front door. I screamed ‘fire, fire’ and the next thing I knew I was in an ambulance.

“All that was going through my mind was my dogs.”

Her other pets, Jack Russells Bill and Rose, were overcome by smoke, but survived.

Miss Siddle, 52, who worked for social services at Durham County Council for 25 years, but has retired, added: “My dogs are my babies. They are my whole life.

“Bailey saved my house and all of our lives. The whole street could have gone up.

“He is usually pure white, but he is still black. He needs a good shampoo because he is covered in soot. I have not been able to get him cleaned up properly yet. I do not know what his lungs are like.”

The incident happened in the early hours of Monday, September 26. The house suffered fire and smoke damage to the doors, walls and carpets.

Miss Siddle said: “A rag was pushed through the door and it went ‘whumpf’. If it wasn’t for Bailey I would not be alive.”

Police are treating the fire as arson and an 18-year-old from the Stanley area has been arrested and released on bail pending further inquiries.

Detective Constable Ian Waslin said: “The plastic letterbox had melted. That caused a lot of smoke and that is what gets people.

“She said the dog had scratched her leg and that is what woke her, so I would agree that the dog saved her life.”