A MUM and her two young daughters had a close escape when their car burst into flames in Port Glasgow yesterday afternoon.

They were alerted to the danger by a quick-thinking motorist who was behind them on Kilmacolm Road, close to Arran Avenue.

The mum-of-two pulled over and managed to get her six-year-old and four-year-old out of the burning Range Rover before calling for help. Fire crews rushed to the scene with the police at around 1.20pm.

The woman and her two children were all taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital as a precaution.

The badly damaged vehicle was later towed away from the side of the road.

Port Glasgow fire station watch commander Billy Carroll said: "It appears to be a mechanical fault which started in the engine and went underneath.

"Luckily they were all safe and there were no injuries.

"The woman was very calm when I was talking to her afterwards."