THE Mayor of Burnley is to thank two Burnley community wardens for saving a pensioner who fell into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal just hours after they completed life-saving training.

Billy Bruce and Dave Bullen had finished their bronze medallion life-saving certificate on the morning and later the same day had to put their new-found skills to the test to rescue Jack Wright, whose disabled scooter had tumbled into the canal.

Mr Wright, of Hollingreave Road, Burnley, had been making his way home along the towpath near Finsley Gate last month when he lost control of the scooter and plunged into the water.

Billy and Dave, who were fishing nearby, heard the splash and rushed to the elderly man's rescue, hauling him out of the canal and on to the bank to safety.

Now the pair will be thanked for their "quick thinking and bravery" by Burnley Mayor, Councillor Lilian Clark. Dave, 53, of Accrington Road, Burnley, and Billy, 51, of Emily Street, Burnley, have been invited, along with family and colleagues, to the special reception in the parlour later today.

But the two men are very modest about what they did to help Mr Wright.

Bill said: "It was an amazing coincidence that the same morning we had just done our training for the bronze medallion life saving and were able to use the skills we had learnt to help Jack out of the water.

"We don't regard ourselves as heroes, we just did what anyone else would have done faced with the same situation."

But Mick Cartledge, director of community and leisure, who nominated the brave pair for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Pride of East Lancashire award scheme, a campaign to celebrate the unsung heroes of East Lancashire, said: "Their quick thinking and prompt action should be applauded and they deserve all the praise they get.

"I'd be happy to nominate them for the Pride of East Lancashire campaign."