FIRE chiefs have praised a quick-thinking Leyland mum who rescued her young sons when a blaze trapped them in their home.

Elaine Murphy promptly rounded her two children into a back bedroom and lowered them to safety from the first-floor window of their Queensway home using tied blankets.

Two-year-old Nathan Murphy and brother Michael, aged ten, were passed to police officers who used a nearby discarded mattress to cushion their fall.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus fought through smoke to rescue Elaine.

The children were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation but were later discharged.

The Fire Brigade said the blaze was caused by a meter fault under the stairs.

Firefighter Peter Harris said: "She kept everybody together in a room which had a fully-opening window, and shut the door to keep the smoke out. It could have been much more serious, possibly fatal."

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