GOOD neighbour Stephen Webster was taken to hospital after trying to fight a house fire across from his home in Wycoller Avenue, Burnley.

Stephen, 25, breathed in thick black smoke as he threw buckets of water on the flames.

He was given oxygen at the scene by firefighters and then taken by paramedics to Burnley General Hospital for a check-up.

The fire began at 8.40pm on Saturday after Paula Stacy took a 500-watt halogen lamp into the loft at her home to look for items for a car boot sale.

She left the lamp on as she got property down then she and her boyfriend went across the road to Stephen's house.

Stephen said: "I saw smoke coming out of the roof. I ran across and then came back for some ladders.

"We got up on the roof and tried to tackle the flames with a power washer and then I threw buckets of water at it."

Stephen added: "It was hot and black up there with thick black smoke pouring out. It was like a thick fog on the street."

Sub officer Peter Kelly said: "Smoke was pouring out of the roof when we arrived but fortunately everyone was out. Stephen had breathed in smoke and we gave him oxygen before the paramedics took over."

The fire destroyed half of the loft with smoke damage being caused to upstairs rooms. Smoke also got into the loft of the house next door and was cleared by firefighters using a ventilation unit.

Stephen was at the hospital for three hours. He said: "When I got back we all enjoyed a curry together."