Widow Elizabeth Green, 81, says she doesn't know how she managed to get out of her home and believes she is lucky to be alive.

Flames broke out in the kitchen of Elizabeth's Burnmoor home while the pensioner was watching the Great North Run on Sunday morning.

The pensioner, who suffers from Meniere's disease, which affects the inner ear causing loss of balance, and uses a wheelchair outside, says she owes her life to the smoke alarm which alerted her to the blaze.

Great-grandmother Elizabeth said: "It was my own fault and I keep blaming myself. I put the oven on to preheat and accidentally turned the cooker ring on and the pan caught fire.

"I went into the front room and started watching the Great North Run when the alarm went off. I went to the kitchen door thinking it would be something small, but there were flames and thick black smoke that I couldn't see a thing through.

"I still don't know how I managed to get through the smoke and out of the back door and shout for help."

Elizabeth remembers a commotion among neighbours in Lambourne Close and someone went into the house and threw water on the flames to put them out.

She said: "Although I am grateful, I know that wasn't the right thing to do. We should have called the fire brigade straight away.

"My throat and chest were hurting the day after, but other than that I was all right. If it hadn't been for the smoke alarm I would be dead by now because the smoke would have killed me.

"My kitchen is ruined and the whole house will need redecorating, but I'm not bothered about that really. I am just thankful to be alive."

Elizabeth hopes by highlighting her ordeal it will encourage people to fit smoke alarms to their homes.

She said: "I am so particular about these things. I go around switching things off and unplug everything to prevent an accident, but this just happened so quickly.

"I want everyone to get a smoke alarm because fire can break out so easily."