A PUPPY broke out of her cage and saved a young family from an arson attack.

Araya, a 10-month-old husky, woke dad Mark Johnston by pawing at him and barking as he slept — before bounding up the stairs of the Breightmet house to alert the rest of the family — Mr Johnston’s partner and three young children.

A wheelie bin had been pushed up to the front door of the house in Barchester Avenue at about 4am on Saturday and set on fire.

The husky forced her way out of her cage under the stairs — as smoke crept under the front door.

Mr Johnston, who had been sleeping downstairs as he was due to leave early for work on Sunday morning, said: “Without Araya, we would probably be dead.

“I was sound asleep and the door between me and the front door was shut so I was not going to wake up.

“She came in and was pawing at me and barking.

“Everyone was asleep upstairs so you dread to think what might have happened.“

After alerting 30-year-old Mr Johnston, Araya went upstairs to wake mum Emma, aged 31, and the three children, Marshall, aged four, Taylor, aged seven, and McKenzie aged eight.

The couple’s other daughter, 13-year-old Courtney, was staying with a friend.

Mr Johnston, who called 999 after being woken, used a wet cloth to open the front door, and was met by flames shooting up around the door frame.

He said: “As I was calling the fire brigade, Araya ran upstairs to get the others up.

“The smoke was coming through the door and she has somehow got out of the cage. She must have bent it a lot to force it open.

“Dogs can sense danger, and that must have been what has happened.”

The couple had only had the pup for a week before the blaze.

Mr Johnston was taken to hospital as a precaution after suffering smoke inhalation but no one else was hurt.

The couple’s other dog, nine-year-old rottweiler Tyson, was sleeping behind a closed door in the kitchen.

A fire service spokesman said: “The fire came from a wheelie bin pushed up to the front door.”

Police said an arson investigation has been launched.