Paul Gregson believes his pet retriever Alfie was looking for food when he jumped up and nudged a switch on the family's range oven.  Mr Gregson, 42, of Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd, said: "We're calling him Alfie the arsonist now."  Fortunately Mr Gregson, his wife and their sons Charlie, 10, and Patrick, seven, - and Alfie - all escaped from their burning home unhurt.

He said: "The dog sleeps in a basket in the kitchen. He went on top of the cooker looking for something to eat. He kicked a switch and there happened to be a chip fryer on top, which went up."  Three-year-old Alfie is a liver-coloured, flat-coated retriever who Mr Gregson described as "very lively, bouncy and smelly".  "The breed is a cross between a pointer and a red setter. They are slow to mature - if they mature at all. He exists to eat. He's a walking stomach," he said.

The Gregsons were awoken by smoke detectors at midnight.  Mr Gregson said: "At first we were disorientated. We thought 'What the hell's that noise?' My wife then rang for the fire brigade and we went downstairs and got everyone out the door.  "The fire brigade were incredible. They got here in less than five minutes."

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