Two "deliberately started" fires and a serious bedroom fire meant a busy night for Carlisle firefighters.

The upstairs bedroom fire, at a house on Prescott Road, did not result in any injuries, with firefighters crediting working smoke alarms for helping keep the occupant safe.

Called out at about 4.15am, a spokesman for Carlisle east fire station said once they arrived they found "a well developed fire in an upstairs bedroom, with heavy smoke logging throughout".

"Crews removed one female from the downstairs of the property, before four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze using two hosereels, thermal imaging cameras, various small tools, and a positive pressure ventilation fan."

The fire station spokesman pointed out that it was the second serious bedroom fire attended by the station's firefighters this week, and wanted to reiterate the vital role smoke alarms play in keeping people alive in the event of a house fire.

"We would like to stress the importance of having working smoke alarms on every level of your property, ideally located on the ceilings of the hallway.

"If there are no smoke alarms upstairs, the whole of the upstairs would have to fill with smoke before the detectors downstairs would activate, which is obviously extremely dangerous, particularly if you sleep upstairs at night.

"Fortunately there were working smoke alarms fitted in both properties we attended, or the result may well have been much more serious.

"If you do not have working smoke alarms, please contact your nearest fire station.

"The number for Carlisle east is 01228 221688."

This incident was preceded for the Carlisle east crew by two rubbish fires, which are described as having been started deliberately.

"At approximately 8pm, Carlisle east were mobilised to reports of a refuse fire to the rear of the shops on Petteril Bank Road, Carlisle," the spokesman for the station said.

"On arrival, crews discovered a wheelie bin that had been deliberately set fire to.

"[And] at approximately 2am, Carlisle east were mobilised to reports of a refuse fire in an alleyway to the rear of Greystone Road, Carlisle.

"Crews discovered a quantity of rubbish, which again had been deliberately started."