TWO youths broke down the door of an Oswaldtwistle flat today in a bid to save a man they believed to be trapped inside.

Fire broke out in an upstairs flat in Union Road at 8am and firefighters received a report that the occupier was trapped inside.

Two youths passing by woke a pensioner who lives downstairs and helped him out of the burning building, near the junction with John Street. Rush-hour traffic was diverted off Union Road by police officers.

When firefighters arrived at the flat, said to be occupied by a man called Johnny Walsh, the door had been kicked in but they were unable to get upstairs because of junk including a bicycle and a gas fire blocking the stairs.

A search of the flat revealed that Mr Walsh, said by neighbours to be in his forties, was not at home. A sleeping bag was found on the couch. Yvonne Martin, who works in a bakery two doors away, said: "Two lads came in here and told us to call the fire brigade. My son Lyndon went with them to kick the door down."

John Whitford, who lives in the flat below the burnt-out property and was woken by the youths, said he had not seen Mr Walsh for about a week.

Environmental health officers have been alerted to the filthy state of the property, which is owned by a housing association.

Bin bags and household rubbish littered the flat, which was badly smoke damaged by the fire, which is believed to have started accidentally in the lounge.

Station officer Jim Owen, of Accrington fire station, said: "Inside the corridor to the stairs there was an awful lot of rubbish which we had to move before we could get in.

"The fire started in the lounge. We are still investigating."

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