TWO young lodgers rescued their landlord from a blazing bed.

Raymond Harwood, 46, fell asleep at his house on Stephen Street, Blackburn, with a lighted cigarette in his hand.

The two men, who do not want to be named, returned to find the bed in flames and the house full of smoke at 11.20pm last night.

They dragged him out of the house and firemen later praised the two men for saving his life. They also revealed that there was a fire alarm in the house - but it had no batteries.

Mr Harwood, who was suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, was examined by paramedics at the scene but refused hospital treatment.

Station officer Andrew Barnes said: "If those two lads hadn't come back when they did, he would have been in serious danger.

"The bed was already burning and he wouldn't have woken up on his own."

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