A MAN was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after he tackled a blaze at a Clayton-le-Moors pub.

Patrick Carter, 50, collapsed in the doorway, drifting in and out of consciousness, after being led out of the Lynwood Arms by firefighters.

They gave him oxygen at the scene until the arrival of paramedics, who took him to Blackburn Infirmary .

Mr Carter, who lives at the Sparth Road pub, was being discharged from hospital this morning after being detained overnight.

About 20 customers evacuated the pub shortly before 11pm last night after smoke began to drift from an upstairs bedroom.

The fire brigade believe clothing fell on an electric fire and caught fire.

Mr Carter and another man went into the smoke-filled room and tackled the fire with a dry powder extinguisher.

Station officer Duncan Emmett, of Accrington fire station, said: "There was not a lot of fire damage, but a lot of smoke and dust."

The carpet and wallcovering was damaged by fire and the rest of the room was heavily smoke-logged.

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