HERO resident Alan Binns has been praised by fire officers for saving Brierfield Methodist Church after he tackled a blaze started by suspected arsonists.

The fire began up against a back doorway of the Colne Road building but Alan fought it with a dry powder extinguisher and a bucket of water.

Leading firefighter Roy Waddington said: "There is no doubt that he saved the day." Extensive damage was caused to the doorframe, floorboards and panelling but the fire was prevented from spreading.

Mr Waddington commented: "There is a large wooden staircase leading from the Sunday School to the chapel itself. It is very fortunate that the fire did not get that far."

He said Mr Binns, who is a steward at the church and chairman of Reedley Parish Council, suffered from smoke inhalation in tackling the incident but decided not to go to hospital.

Mr Binns said he first realised something was wrong when he arrived at the church with his wife to store items for the following day's car boot sale.

He said: "When I went through the front door I could smell smoke and thought it was coming from upstairs in the church.

"But as I went to the back and through to the Sunday School I felt the heat and I was just in time.

"The flames were about five or six feet high and I couldn't see the light switch or the fire extinguisher. It was quite spooky and if it had been another minute I wouldn't have been able to breath the smoke was that thick.

"It was amazing that we went there at the right time."

Police said the fire was suspicious and they are investigating.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.