A local couple on their honeymoon in South Africa narrowly escaped their burning bungalow after a fire in the chimney set the roof ablaze.

The newlyweds, Royal Gazette reporters Karen Smith and Matt Westcott, were on the first leg of their honeymoon at Grootbos, a private nature reserve just two hours from Cape Town.

The couple woke up in the early hours of Saturday morning after hearing the screams of their neighbours.

"We initially thought they were playing a prank or having a party, but we later realised that they were saying fire, fire - and we could smell smoke," said Mr. Westcott.

"Karen and I made our way to the door, but there was no key in the lock.

"Our rescuers were trying to kick in the door, so the key had fallen out.

"We were searching around the floor on our hands and knees until we finally found the key. Most of the cottages are detached, but we didn't realise that ours was semi-detached and our neighbours were the stars of the movie Jackass."

Mr. Westcott said it was frightening, but the desire for survival was paramount.

"Your natural instincts work on getting out," said the honeymooner.

"It wasn't until much later on the it sunk in and I thought 'what would have happened if they had not called us'. By the time we would have smelled the smoke it might have been too late."

The couple were saved by Chris Pontius and SteveGlover, better known as Steve-O, who starred in the movie Jackass.

They were in South Africa working on an extreme nature programme. "Mr. Pontius and Steve-O had lit their fireplace because it was cold in South Africa," said Mr. Westcott."But the chimney caught on fire and spread through the roof above us.

"They had tried to put the fire out with two kettles of water, but it only got worse. They got out and tried to get us up and as soon as we opened the door they burst in and ran through to the bedroom and helped us grab our suitcases. The last time I went in the smoke was only three feet off the ground and shortly after I came out the place was an inferno. The cottages have wooden walls, wooden roofs and no sprinklers no fire alarms, which is why it went up so quickly."

On the bright side, Mr. Westcott said: "We've seen great white sharks and done so much in so little time - it will be something to tell the grandkids."