Barking dog Freckles 'saved my life from fire'

The barking of a pet dog has been credited with saving her owner's life after a fire broke out in their Aberdeenshire home.

Katrina Archer, from Auchterless near Turriff, was woken by her dog Freckles - a six-year-old border collie - on Sunday.

They managed to escape the fire, which caused serious damage.

"She's my little hero," Katrina, 44, told BBC Scotland News.

It is thought the fire may have been caused by flying embers from a nearby wildfire.

Katrina said she had been dozing, when Freckles went "totally crazy".

It was then that Katrina noticed the smoke.

"She was trying to get my attention to tell me that something was wrong," Katrina said.

Katrina said she initially got a bowl of water from the kitchen to try to put the fire out.

"I didn't realise how bad it was," she said. "I just thought 'oh my whole house is going to go - I'm going to lose everything'."

Neighbours helped to try to contain the blaze, including with a power hose, until firefighters arrived and fully extinguished it.

"I was absolutely petrified," she said. "I was just stood in my neighbour's garden with my hands on my head.

"My body started shaking, I felt like I was going to pass out."

"Freckles saved me," Katrina explained.

"If she hadn't have come in and been barking at me I wouldn't even have known about the fire, I'd have been fast asleep and I wouldn't have got out.

"If Freckles hadn't have gone as berserk as she did I'd have gone up with the house."

Katrina said her pet dog was getting a lot of extra love and attention.

"She is my furry little hero."