A GIRL of nine saved four generations of her family when fire swept through their Worthing home today.

Jessica Lammond rushed to her great-grandmother's room and led her to safety as flames swept out of control at the house in Broadwater Road.

Firefighters were called out to the blaze at 1am.

Jessica lives with her mother Amanda, 31, her grandmother Angela Lammond, 52, her great-uncle Peter Warrow, 60, her great-grandmother Florence Warrow, 84 and her ten-month-old brother David.

She had been reading in bed by candlelight when the candle set a lamp shade on fire and the flames spread to some clothes.

Jessica said: "I jumped up to get water from the bathroom but it got worse and worse."

Amanda called the fire brigade and the family evacuated the house.

Her mother said: "Jessica got everyone out. She was the hero of the day. She sprang into action and led her great-grandmother from her flat to the back garden."

Everyone escaped unharmed and did not need to go to hospital but the upstairs of the house sustained extensive smoke damage.

Peter Martin commander at Worthing fire station said: "Without doubt, this family had a lucky escape."