NINE-day-old Lydia Oversby and her two-year-old brother Daniel had to be pulled from a burning car during a dramatic rescue on Wednesday.

What should have been a happy day for parents Laura and James went horrifically wrong when the engine of their Peugeot 309 burst into flames with the four of them inside.

Mr and Mrs Oversby, of Grassington, had just been to Skipton Register Office to register the birth of Lydia and had got back into the car which had been left in the office car park on Water Street.

Mr Oversby said when he started the engine and tried to back the car out it had coughed and spluttered. Then when he stopped and started the engine again flames leapt from the front end.

Still shocked by the incident Mr Oversby told The Herald: "It was difficult to get the kids out I managed to get Daniel out of his seat belt but Laura was struggling so I went back to her."

Lydia had been strapped into her baby seat which was proving more difficult to lift out of the car quickly. "That was the worst part," said Mr Oversby and added that he had had no trouble with the car in the past.

It is thought that the fire started because of an engine fault.