Eagle-eyed passerbys spotted flames coming from the bumper of a woman's car.

The mum had pulled over to pick up her children from a bus stop in Scotby at about 4pm yesterday, when an electrical fault caused her Volkswagen car to set alight.

A spokesman for Carlisle west fire station said: "The woman wasn't aware the vehicle was on fire because it was in the engine compartment.

"She pulled up to pick up her children and there were a couple of lads cutting some grass banking. They brought it to her attention that the car was on fire.

"They could just see flames at the bottom of the bumper."

The family evacuated before fire crews arrived.

They wore breathing apparatus and used a hose reel jet to put out the car, which was parked near the railway bridge.

Mr Burn said the women made a point of thanking the men who alerted her.