A SEATON man whose house was destroyed by a blaze in the village last week has thanked emergency services and many villagers who have rallied round following the incident.

Andrew Burns, a member of the Seaton Parish Council and an officer for Workington Town Council, was awoken at 1am on Wednesday, July 31 by the sound of his dogs howling, opening his eyes to see smoke above his head.

After moving downstairs Andrew opened the kitchen door, worrying that a fire had started in his kitchen where his four dogs - Buster, Ruby, Belle, and Blitzen - were.

He exited the back door and found the neighbour's house ablaze.

Andrews home following the fire Andrews home following the fire (Image: Supplied)

After running back in the house he noticed that two of his dogs had run to safety out of the front door, with his two older dogs running upstairs into the now smoke-filled second floor of his home. Despite his best attempts, Richard was unable to get upstairs through the smoke.

Fire crews then arrived and ran into the property to save the two dogs, much to Andrew's delight. He said: "Them lads ran up stairs, got the dogs and came back down... the dogs were panting, happy to see me.

"They're my family. I don't have children - they are my family. Just to see their faces when they come down the stairs was amazing."

Talking about the incident itself, Andrew said: "It was like something on Coronation Street or Emmerdale. The adrenaline was going, it went all night. I didn't go to bed. How can you go to sleep after something like that?

The four dogs who were rescued.The four dogs who were rescued. (Image: Supplied)

"It's surreal for everybody, everyone in the village - you just don't expect something like that to happen."

Andrew has thanked many different people from emergency teams and across the village for the support during and following the incident, after receiving much support from the 'close knit' Seaton community.

"I can't thank them (the emergency services enough). Not just the fire and police crews, but the other support crews that come out in that response."

Andrew said that gas crews, water crews and firefighters' charities all came out following the blaze, with the council worker also paying special thanks to Nathan and Beth who run the Royal Oak in Seaton for helping residents evacuated on the evening.

The house has been completely destroyed.The house has been completely destroyed. (Image: Supplied)

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service received a call shortly before 1am on July 31 to a 'building fire' just off the Main Road in Seaton, Workington.

Cumbria Police confirmed that a woman had been arrested on suspicion of arson following the blaze.