Rescue heroes

LIFESAVERS . . . Darren Mellor (left) and Andy Harris

HEROIC neighbours rescued a couple from a burning house in Mossley this morning.

Darren Mellor and Andy Harris pulled a couple from their home in Brooklands Close shortly before 6am.

Firefighters from Oldham and Stalybridge rushed to the house to find a 63-year-old man and 55-year-old woman had been rescued from the blaze, which started next to a sofa in the living room.

Darren and Andy dragged the man from the living room, which was gutted by the flames, then used a ladder to free the woman from an upstairs room filled with smoke.

Darren (46) said: “My daughter shouted me to say the neighbours’ house was on fire so I dived straight out of bed and went round. He was downstairs so we kicked the door in and found him on the floor. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and the flames were coming right over my head from the backdraft.

“I couldn’t see anything. It was frightening, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The couple were taken to Tameside hospital suggering from the effects of smoke.

Firefighters also rescued the couple’s terrified Staffordshire bull terrier, Roxy, from a bedroom.

Andy said: “All hell had broken loose. I saw the flames and the smoke so I put the ladder up to the window and climbed up to her and pulled the window open.

“She was worried about getting out but I just shouted to her and helped her down.

“The fire crews had to come from Oldham and Stalybridge. If we hadn’t all worked together they would have died.”

Crew commander Garry Park, from Oldham, called Darren a hero: “The couple certainly had a lucky escape. I wouldn’t recommend what Darren and Andy did but they’ve done the right things at the right time and it paid off.”