TWO men were treated at Whiston Hospital after a fire broke out in a maisonette at St Andrew's Court off Liverpool Road.

Andrew O'Neil, 26, returned home to the first floor maisonette after a stag night and fell asleep in his bedroom after putting the chip pan on.

Andy awoke to find that his kitchen was ablaze and began shouting for help.

Fortunately downstairs neighbour Stuart Norton, 26, and his girlfriend Kerry Welsh, 21, who were tending to their eight month old baby, James, heard Andy's cries for help.

Kerry said: "Stuart soaked two towels and then climbed up to the Andy's balcony on the first floor. He smashed the window and managed to get inside.

"I was petrified that something might happen to him, but when he reached Andy's bedroom he shouted down that he was alright and I was so relieved.

"In the meantime I had asked a neighbour across the road to ring the fire brigade. They arrived in no time and got both of the lads out of the bedroom."

Stuart and Andrew were taken to Whiston Hospital. Andrew was allowed home after treatment for smoke inhalation.

But Stuart was kept in overnight because he had inhaled too much smoke as he made his way through the kitchen to the bedroom, he also received eight stitches to cuts to wrist.

Kerry added: "Stuart didn't realise exactly what he had done until he got to the hospital, and when the realisation dawned on him he was shocked. I'm really proud of him and I'm relieved that everything turned out okay."

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