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Heroic fire rescue

2/ 1/2003

A MUM-of-three says she owes her daughter's life to a heroic neighbour after he rescued her from a fire on Christmas Day.

Patricia Jackson's 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth was trapped in the bedroom of their home on Barff Road, Weaste, when grandad Jim Furlong leapt into action.

Jim, who suffers from a rare heart condition, fought his way upstairs through smoke and falling debris to pull semi-conscious Elizabeth to safety.

Patricia, her son James, aged 11, and youngest daughter Kirsty, aged five (pictured) had been sleeping downstairs when Elizabeth went to bed after a bath.

It is thought an unattended candle in the bathroom caused the blaze, which severely damaged the council house. But despite now facing being rehoused, Patricia counts herself extremely lucky.

"If Jim hadn't been there I would have been arranging a funeral," she said. "We owe him Elizabeth's life. He is a real hero."

Jim hit the headlines earlier this year for very different reasons when he took the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to an employment tribunal after losing his job of 20 years.

The modest 54-year-old said: "I just did what anyone else would have done in the situation."

But he admitted it was nice to end what had been a tough year on such a high note.