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Five children and two women were "very lucky" to escape a house fire after a neighbour spotted flames and woke them up by knocking on the door.

North Wales fire service said crews were called to the property in Princes Avenue, Prestatyn, at about 05:00 BST.

A spokesman said there were no working fire alarms fitted in the house and the occupants could not find the front door keys when trying to escape.

Nobody was seriously injured, but one woman was checked over in hospital.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was thought to have spread from the embers of an outdoor fire, and on to the eaves of the house.

The roof of the house was totally destroyed but crews managed to prevent the fire spreading to neighbouring homes, it added.

'Very lucky escape'

"This was a very lucky escape - had the neighbour not noticed the flames and acted quickly, running over to knock on the door and wake those in the house, we could have been dealing with a real tragedy," said Mike Edwards, of the fire service.

Mr Edwards said the incident highlighted the importance of smoke alarms and planning an escape route.

"A smoke alarm will immediately warn you, giving you and everyone in your home time to escape to safety.

"It is also important that you think about how you would escape in the event of a fire, and have keys readily available for exit doors which may be locked.

"In this incident, the residents could not find the keys for the front door, which would have been the safest exit, and had to leave the property through the back door which was affected by fire."

He went on to praise the actions of the neighbour who raised the alarm, and the crews.

Mr Davies added the fire service offers safety checks, including the installation of new fire alarms, free of charge.