Three people were led to safety by firefighters last night as a blaze raged in a rest home for the elderly.

One person was treated for smoke inhalation after crews were called to the Hollywynd care home in St Botolph's Road, Worthing.

When local crews arrived they could see smoke pouring from the building and were told there could still be people inside, so they called for back-up.

Kitted out in breathing gear, they searched the smoke-logged two-storey home, which is split into several separate bedrooms. There were no casualties but three people were led to safety. Paramedics saw to one of them, who went to hospital for further check-ups.

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: "We received a call at about 9.50pm.

"We were called to a report of a fire in one of the rooms, believed to be a bedroom.

"The fire was accidental. We left the scene just after midnight."

In all, six people were evacuated. It is not clear how the fire started.