A BRAVE 14-year-old attempted to rescue his next door neighbour from a fire after he smelled smoke and heard his cries for help.

Waquas Ajaz, of Palmer Road, Blackburn, kicked down the front door of the burning home where Jim Clarke was trapped late last night.

Waquaz's cousin Tahir Sarwar said: "I was sleeping and Waquaz woke me saying he could smell smoke in the bathroom. I could hear somebody shouting help me, help me.

"I went round the back and saw the man next door in the living room. He was pleading for someone to open the door and I told him we would call the fire brigade. "The house was locked up but my cousin kicked the front door down and went in.

"The next door in the hall was locked too and he daren't go any further because he was afraid the wind might make the fire worse. Then the fire brigade came and got him out."

Firefighters attended the scene at 11.15pm and rescued Mr Clarke, who is in his fifties.

He was conscious and was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation, where he is now in intensive care where his condition is described as poorly.

Firefighters said that the blaze had started from a cigarette which had been left burning on the bed. Mr Clarke was sleeping in an armchair in the living room.

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