THE parents of a 16-month-old baby who was surrounded by flames when in his cot caught fire, today told how their three-year-old son saved his brother's life.

Baby Brandon was in his playpen when his brother PJ accidentally set fire to it while playing with a lighter.

Their parents Sarah Krzysik and Ray Brian were asleep in their bedroom, in the house in Nelson, when the fire started.

Miraculously, neither of the children suffered any burns from the fire and were taken to hospital merely for a check-up.

But it was only the quick actions of toddler PJ that saved Brandon's life and his mum Sarah gives full credit to PJ for the happy ending.

She said: "If my three-year-old hadn't had the sense to try and do something to help Brandon he wouldn't have survived. Although PJ started the fire, it was an accident and we don't blame him in anyway. He was the hero in this."

Ray said: "Usually I am a very light sleeper but we had been up until 2am with Brandon. We put him to bed and went to bed ourselves. The next thing I knew, PJ rushed into our bedroom and said there was a fire.

"I didn't know what he meant but I rushed out of bed and when I got to their bedroom Brandon was huddled in the corner of the cot with flames around him.

"I lifted him out and gave him to Sarah and she took them both downstairs while I got the mop bucket to douse the flames.

"Brandon must have known it was dangerous by the way he got into the corner away from the flames. He hasn't got a burn on him.

"We had to see the social workers as a routine thing in this kind of situation to check PJ was all right to come back with us. It apparently happens more than people think."

Sarah said: "We will have to get a new playpen and covers now but the main thing is that they are both all right. PJ told me afterwards that he was sorry and hadn't meant to do it.

"He said he had tried to blow the fire out when it started and his hands were black so I think he had tried to put it out with hands too."

Firefighters were called around 7.40am with reports of a child's cot on fire.

Sub-officer Keith Dixon said: "We were aware there had been a baby in the cot but luckily there was another lad in the bedroom who went and woke his father up. He came in and got the baby out to safety."

Brandon did not suffer any burns but was taken to Burnley General Hospital for a check-up for smoke inhalation.

The fire damage was confined to the cot and carpet.