A pregnant woman has spoken of the shocking moment she found her flat engulfed by flames - with her three beloved cats inside.

Hayley Devlin, 20, says she has been left homeless following the blaze, which gutted her Carlisle home and led to four people being taken to hospital.

Fire broke out when she and partner Kieran Simmons had gone next door to visit a neighbour in John Johnston Court, off Hayton Road in Old Harraby, on Wednesday afternoon.

And it was as Kieran went to leave the neighbour's that they realised their home was on fire.

"No alarms went off. I only realised when I got my jacket and went to go out the front door," Kieran, 24, said.

Hayley, who is 12 weeks pregnant, immediately followed Kieran outside.

Her first thought was her three cats, Fudge, Felix and Bella - and she immediately tried to save them.

"We've been trying to conceive for 18 months and we thought we wouldn't be able to have children," Hayley, 20, said. "The cats are like my babies. The first thing I did was go in to try and get them out.

"But it'd filled with smoke, I couldn't breathe at all."

The swift actions Hayley, Kieran and two neighbours to get the cats out led to them being taken to the Cumberland Infirmary to be treated for the effects of the smoke.

"I've been told that the baby's fine," Hayley added.

The cats too have suffered from the effects of the smoke are being treated by a vet, although the couple are hopeful that they will pull through.

Hayley, who moved into the flat in May 2015, said for the time being she is having to sleep on on a sofa at her mum's, in Longtown.

"She's disabled," she said. "I'm technically homeless. I haven't got anywhere else.

"Everything that was inside has gone, including my phone. I'm having to wear my mum's clothes. The cats are at the vets and the bill is already past £400. It's money I don't have."

Friends and family have been bringing clothing and other items for Hayley and Kieran. "Everyone's been really supportive and we're really grateful," she said.

Stuart Adams, watch manager at Carlisle East fire station, said: "We believe there was a candle inside that had been left unattended.

"While they were out, something has happened and that's caused a fire that has spread."

Hayley said: "There was a Buddha on the TV unit with tealights in it. I can't understand how it was caused by that, the cats were in the bedroom."