AN 83-YEAR-OLD pensioner was rescued from a kitchen fire after a neighbour's son smashed his way into her smoke-logged home.

Anna Entwistle, of Hargher Street, Burnley, was disorientated and had suffered a cut to her head during the drama at 2pm yesterday.

Today, firefighters praised Damion Pye for his actions after he broke in to help.

The father-of-two had called in to see his mother, Doreen, who lives next door to Mrs Entwistle.

Close friend and neighbour Marjorie Taylor, said: "I usually go down in the morning to check on Anna, but when I called at her house I couldn't get any response."

Mrs Taylor enlisted the help of neighbours Ernie Holland and Mrs Pye to try to contact Mrs Entwistle and they spotted her in the lounge. Mr Holland said: "She had a cut to her head and her leg and her hands were all black.

"We couldn't make her understand that we needed her to open the door so we could get in and help her."

Mrs Pye said: "My son Damion had been round with the grandchildren for lunch and so I called on him to help.

"He tried to smash the door open and as he did the window above the door shattered, so we got some stepladders and he climbed in and found her in the kitchen. She was completely disorientated and didn't know where she was.

"He could not find a key to open the door and so he led her into the lounge. The fire had burned itself out but was still smouldering and there was a lot of smoke."

Leading firefighter Liam Barker, said: "He did a good job. We broke in and walked them both out of the house.

"The fire had started in a plastic kettle which was on an electric cooker. It caused damage to the cooker and kettle but the fire was contained in the kitchen. It had caused a lot of smoke and Mrs Entwistle had inhaled quite a bit."

Paramedics gave Mrs Entwistle oxygen at the scene and she was taken to Burnley General Hospital, where she was detained overnight.

Mr Holland and Mrs Taylor described Mrs Entwistle as very independent and reluctant to ask anyone to do anything for her, preferring to look after herself.

The neighbours, who have lived in the close-knit community most of their lives, all look out for each other.