FIRE chiefs today praised the hero neighbour who rescued a pensioner from a blaze at a blocks of flats in Burnley and said: "They saved her life."

Marilyn Birkett led the 77-year-old woman, named as Lorna Smith by neighbours, to safety during the fire after she became confused and unable to get to safety.

Fire crews said the swift actions had probably saved the woman's life.

The fire broke out in the living room of the woman's ground floor flat in Brownhill Avenue at about 2.15am today.

Mrs Birkett today told how she was woken by a smoke alarm and opened her upstairs flat to find the hallway of the block which had only been decorated a year ago full of smoke.

The 59-year-old battled her way through the smoke downstairs to find her neighbour in the hall.

She said: "She was wandering around and I could not get her out, she was dithering and was confused.

"I managed to get her out and had to take her right away from the flats because smoke was billowing out.

"I was on automatic pilot and it was not until later it hit me how scary it was."

Two fire crews from Burnley were called to the fire.

The pensioner was treated for the effects of breathing in smoke by paramedics who gave her oxygen at the scene and she was taken to stay with relatives by the police.

Two other flats were evacuated while fire crews dealt with the blaze, which is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.

Watch manager Chris Hollis said: "Luckily the smoke alarm going off was spotted by a neighbour of the old lady and he managed to lead her to safety as she had become disoriented and was unable to make her own way out.

"She was very fortunate to have someone on hand to help or she may well not have been with us today."