A woman was rescued from a first-floor bedroom in Haywards Heath after the sofa in a downstairs lounge caught fire.

The 54-year-old-woman, who did not wish to be named, said she had left a cigarette burning.

The woman, who lives in Snowdrop Lane, grabbed a kitchen fire extinguisher and put out the blaze but it did not go out completely and the fire brigade was called.

Before firefighters arrived, they gave the woman survival guidance over the phone.

About 20 firefighters from Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill arrived at about 12.40am and four of them rescued her from the first floor.

The firefighters managed to contain the damage to the horsehair sofa and the carpet in the lounge of the terraced house.

The woman was treated at the scene, then taken to the Princess Royal Hospital as a precaution.

A neighbour said: "We saw lots of fire engines and police and a burnt sofa on the lawn but we didn't really know what it was about."

Officer Paul Fuller said: "Unfortunately in this property the occupant did not have a smoke detector. She is a smoker which makes her particularly vulnerable and, although she was rescued, the situation could have been far worse.

"I urge all occupiers, especially those who smoke, to get a smoke alarm."

Mr Fuller encouraged people to contact the brigade for advice, either at their local station or by logging on to www.wsfb.co.uk