A SQUAWKING African grey parrot saved the lives of three members of a Hampshire family when fire ripped through their home.

It was three-year-old Bob's frantic calling that alerted them to the flames and smoke at their home near Eastleigh last Sunday morning.

Francis Hall and his sons Trevor and Sam scrambled to safety after first rescuing their lifesaver by carrying his cage into the garden.

They were potentially only a couple of minutes from death as the lethal smoke filled their terraced house at Pilchards Avenue, Fair Oak.

Now Bob could be set for his reward for his life-saving -a female companion!

Francis, 59, said: "The first thing I knew was Sam shouting the house was on fire.

Bob's squawking had woken him.

"Bob doesn't say a lot. He wolf whistles and makes all sorts of weird noises. He sometimes says his own name, but when he feels threatened he makes a very loud squawk.

"I'm definitely going to get him a treat, some new toys, a swing, a bell and a mirror.

"It might be the right time to get him a mate. I've been thinking about an outdoor cage.

"Now the house is having to be re-done, this might be the time to do it."

The fire broke out in the kitchen at around 6.25am, it is thought in the microwave.

Bob was in the living room and became alerted to the choking smoke.

His increasingly frantic screeching alerted Sam, the only family member to sleep with his bedroom door open.

Sam woke and roused his father who rescued Bob as Sam woke his older brother, Trevor.

Francis and Sam suffered serious smoke inhalation and were given oxygen outside the house, before being taken to hospital by ambulance for a check-up.

Trevor also suffered smoke inhalation but did not need to go to hospital.

Crews from Botley and Eastleigh took about 20 minutes to douse the flames and about a further hour to clear the smoke, which wrecked most of the ground floor.

Sam, 18, a storeman, said: "I used to find Bob very annoying with his growling and squawking. But not now. He is a legend.

"He saved our lives - we just got out in time."

Bob is named after Francis's father who died about three years ago.

Francis said: "My dad's namesake saved the day.

Maybe he was looking down on us."

A fire service spokesman said: "The Halls were extremely lucky to have a parrot to indicate danger.

"It shows the importance of everyone checking their detectors."