A man rescued his dog from a blazing house in Worthing after a chip pan burst into flames.

He returned to his ground floor flat from a shopping trip and saw that the pan had caught fire, wrecking the kitchen and filling the rest of his home with smoke.

Inside was his pet German shepherd, which leapt to safety when its owner opened the door.

Sub Officer Darren Wickings of Worthing fire brigade said: "The owner wanted to help his dog first and then called us.

"The kitchen was severely damaged by fire and the rest of the flat was smoke-damaged.

"The flat didn't have a smoke alarm fitted which could have alerted neighbours."