JAKE the German shepherd dog proved he really is man's best friend when he saved four people from a blazing block of flats.

His frantic barking roused neighbours from their sleep after an arsonist started a fire in the council flats in York Street, Leigh.

Carl Burtonwood, who lives in a ground floor flat with his partner, was woken at 3.30am by the sound of his six-year-old, white German shepherd.

The dog was frantically trying to get into the room and when Mr Burtonwood went to investigate he was faced with flames coming from a cubby hole outside his front door.

After the initial shock he acted on instinct and went to alert neighbours.

He explained: "I had to fight my way through thick, black smoke to get to the man upstairs, and had to throw things at the door of the flat opposite mine as the fire was between us."

Thanks to his quick thinking, all four tenants got out safely.

Mr Burtonwood said: "I'm just thankful we didn't have the children staying with us -- between myself and my partner we have seven children aged between five and 13.

"Jake was trying to get into the children's room. He's very protective of all of us. If it hadn't been for him I think we would all be dead."

Their home suffered smoke damage and the heat of the fire caused the bathroom wall to crack.

They are angry with the council for not providing them with with a working smoke alarm. "It has been broken since I moved in six months ago. Every time a council inspector visits I ask for it to be fixed, but it still hasn't been done," he said.

Mr Burtonwood's partner, who does not wish to be named, said the whole experience had unnerved her.

She said: "I couldn't sleep last night, every time the dog barked, I jumped.

"The fact that it was started deliberately makes me nervous about bringing the children back here.

"The cubby hole belongs to the flat upstairs, which is empty," Mr Burtonwood explained.

"It was full of rubbish and the door was always left unlocked, so it was an open opportunity for youths to vandalise.

"It was a very scary experience and horrible to think that they must have walked directly past our front door to start the fire."

Mr Burtonwood was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, but declined hospital treatment.

"Jake had run off because he was frightened so I was more concerned about him. We ended up driving around the streets at five in the morning looking for him.

"We found him in the end, but he wasn't keen on coming back inside."

The contents and door of the storage room were destroyed and the three surrounding flats suffered smoke damage.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze is taking place.