
Beach goers at Moutchic on the shore of Lake Lacanau (Etang de Lacanau) in Lacanau , southwestern France on July 24, 2026, as clouds of smoke rise into the sky from the Gironde wildfire. Photo by Maximilien LAMY / AFP
Story here.

Beach goers at Moutchic on the shore of Lake Lacanau (Etang de Lacanau) in Lacanau , southwestern France on July 24, 2026, as clouds of smoke rise into the sky from the Gironde wildfire. Photo by Maximilien LAMY / AFP
Story here.
By Hannah Finch hfinch@heraldexpress.co.uk
A HERO cat alerted neighbours to a kitchen fire when he escaped through a window and let out billowing smoke.
Three year-old Pepper — dubbed Smokey by firefighters — used a Houdini-style trick to escape after a microwave caught fire at the Stoke Gabriel property on Saturday afternoon.
Frightened by the exploding glass, he leapt from his bed and up to the window.
Then he used his usual party piece of nudging open the catch using his nose.
He ran to safety while the smoke billowed out behind him, alerting neighbours in Body Hayes Close.
Relieved owner Phil White said: “He got out and the smoke must have been pouring out of the window and that alerted the neighbours next door.”
Two crews from Paignton were called to the property at 4pm to reports of smoke in the area.
They used one hose reel jet, one main jet, positive pressure ventilation and a thermal image camera to ensure the fire was fully out.
Phil said: “There is some damage but nothing compared to what it could have been.”
(h/t: Bunk X)
![]()
Happy New Year from BuddyG of Blogmocracy!
website design was Built By All of Us