A couple have spoken of their shock after their car burst into flames – and the blaze came perilously close to engulfing their home.

Rob Richardson and his partner Jodie Hudson, both 25, had to flee from their Dalston home last night when their black Chevrolet Camaro caught light.

The car was parked in the driveway of the house in Summerfields when it became engulfed by flames, with the fire beginning to catch the front of their home.

Firefighters from both of Carlisle’s stations were dispatched to the scene at about 10pm yesterday.

“I have no idea what started it,” said Rob, a tattoo artist based in Carlisle.

“I was telling the fire service that a warning light for the indicators came on as I was pulling into the estate and the next thing there was smoke and then flames.

“It started while I was in the car. It just escalated very quickly.”

Little remains of the front end of the car, which Rob has owned for about two and a half years, because of the fire damage.

A spokesman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said: “It was so close to the house the flames had spread, affecting the windows and gutters of the property.”

Although part of their house was damaged by the fire it is mainly outside and has not forced Rob and Jodie out of their home.

Rob paid tribute to the firefighters who rushed to his house.

“The fire service got here just in time because it was spreading over to the roof. It’s a good job they got here when they did,” he said.

“The fire service was great, they were really helpful. If it was 10 minutes later then the roof could’ve gone up.”

The fire destroyed their wheelie bin and that of their neighbours.

The couple thanked their neighbours who were helpful throughout the night and kept them warm with cups of tea.