FIREMEN smashed their way into the top floor of a blazing pub as a seven-week-old baby was rescued from the flames early today.

The child's parents John and Tina Young, landlord and landlady of the Commercial Hotel in Whalley Road, Clitheroe, were also lifted to safety from the living quarters of the pub as fire burst through the windows of the bar at 2.30am.

Acting station officer Ronnie Eatough, of Clitheroe retained fire service, said crew were at the scene within six minutes of receiving the call.

The family, including baby Daniel and the couple's pet Labrador, had barricaded themselves in the second floor flat and placed towels behind doors in an attempt to stop smoke seeping in.

Mr Eatough, 43, said: "When I arrived there were flames coming through the windows of the ground floor and the family were at the window.

"I suppose I should have stood back as a senior officer but you don't think like that, it doesn't happen that way, instinct just takes over and I ran up the ladder to them." Mrs Young passed the baby through the window to Mr Eatough first and he carried it to safety before climbing the ladder to help her down.

But the landlady would not climb through the top half of the old, sash style window and he had to break the bottom half of the frame with an axe.

He went on: "I was up and down the ladder six times in all and I'm feeling it today. First the woman wouldn't come through the top of the window and then the man refused to leave without his dog. The animal was too heavy to carry so we had to get a rope and winch it down.

"The landlord was coughing and spluttering by this time. They did very well but in a situation like that anyone would panic."

Four fire engines were called to the scene, including two from Clitheroe and a further two from the retained service at Great Harwood. Theresa Robson, who lives opposite the pub, formerly known as the Mangrove Hotel, described waking up to screams as the inferno raged through the bar.

She went on: "I was woken by the sound of screaming and the pub was well alight, with smoke billowing out.

"There were clearly people trapped in an upstairs room and a fireman went up a ladder and smashed the window to allow a woman to pass the baby to him.

"He then went back the woman but when he went for the man I heard him say he wouldn't come out without his dog. He eventually handed over the dog wrapped in a blanket but was coughing and had virtually collapsed by the time the firemen got him out."

Mr Philip Pizzo, who owns the pub, today said he was unaware of the fire.