A PENSIONER hailed a hero after dragging a neighbour out of his burning home is being honoured for bravery.

Firefighters said George Clark would probably have died had neighbour David Jordan not smashed down the back door and pulled him out of his blazing Meadow Bank home in Accrington last May.

Mr Jordan is to receive the commendation certificate from Lancashire's Chief Fire Officer Peter Holland.

He was alerted to the fire just after 7pm when another neighbour had seen Mr Clark desperately banging on his window for help.

Mr Jordan tried to force the front door but it was locked so he ran round to the back door.

The pensioner got on his hands and knees and crawled below the smoke layer to the kitchen to turn the gas off. He then crawled into the front room where he found Mr Clark slumped on the floor.

Dragging him into the hallway, Mr Jordan opened the front door to get some air into the property and was met by firefighters who proceeded to extinguish the flames. Mr Clark, 50, was taken to Blackburn Infirmary for treatment for smoke inhalation and kept in overnight for observation.

Station officer Gary Monk said the actions were courageous and selfless.

He said: "Although entering a smoke-filled property to try to rescue someone is clearly something I'm bound to suggest is left for fully-trained and equipped firefighters to do, there's no doubt that had Mr Jordan had not done so a man would most probably have died."

Modest Mr Jordan, a retired coppersmith, was more reserved about his actions.

He said: "It's very nice to be honoured but I'm a bit embarrassed by it all to be honest. I just did what any other neighbour would have done."

Mr Jordan will receive his commendation at Accrington fire station on Monday February 18.