Cottages evacuated

RESIDENTS of a terraced row of cottages had to be evacuated as a large blaze broke out in the early hours of this morning.

Fire crews rushed to Merrylees Cottages on the A904 Newton-Linlithgow at 4.50am this morning to find the roof of a central cottage well alight.

Neighbouring residents were evacuated as the fire threatened to spread. A spokeswoman for the fire service said the road, which is on the county border between Edinburgh and West Lothian, was closed by police.

She added that the occupants of the house were not home when the fire began and that crews were still on the scene at 7am this morning. Damage to the property was extensive.

Meanwhile, a 48-year-old woman has been treated for smoke inhalation after a pan of food caused a fire at her home in Holly Grove in Livingston.