TWO men have been hailed as heroes after rescuing a woman from her burning flat in the early hours of the morning.

Phil Spittle, 22, and his pal Morgan Parkinson, 24 - his girlfriend's brother - rushed to the aid of the young woman after being alerted by a smoke alarm.

After hearing a voice from inside the burning flat they were able to force them-selves inside and drag the woman, who is in her early 20s, to safety.

Firefighters said thick smoke from the fire had quickly filled the small flat after the blaze started in a cooker.

Phil's girlfriend, Chantelle Parkinson, 23, said the pair were "heroes".

Chantelle, who is six months pregnant, said she was proud of her boyfriend and her brother, who risked their lives in the rescue at the flat in Richmond Avenue, Accrington.

She said: "They were very brave. It was a dangerous situation."

Phil, a window cleaner, and unemployed Morgan heard the smoke alarm at the ground-floor flat at around 2.30am. Phil and Chantelle live in a second-floor flat nearby.

He said: "There was a strong smell of smoke but we didn't know if anyone was inside.

"I shouted and heard a noise.

"I didn't think about the danger, we just wanted to stop the fire and get the woman out."

He said that he felt lucky that they had spotted the fire when they had. He said he was in bed when Morgan saw the blaze while having a cigarette outside.

Phil added: "Who knows what would have happened if we hadn't seen the fire?

"The whole kitchen was ablaze and there was thick smoke in the rest of the flat.

"It could have spread to other properties and really done some damage."

Accrington fire crew manager Liam Barker praised the quick thinking of the two men.

He said: "Although we never recommend for people to enter burning buildings, these men's actions meant that the young lady was rescued from the flat quickly, meaning she only suffered mild smoke inhalation. She was very lucky."

He said the fire was caused by a chip pan that was left unattended on the cooker. The woman had put the pan on, and some food under the grill, and then fallen asleep.

The fire had burned itself out by the time firefighters arrived but left severe fire damage to the pan and cooker as well as to cupboards and plastic fixtures, and smoke damage to the rest of the property.

The woman was given first aid by paramedics at the scene, before being taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital as a precaution.