A MAN today told how he saved his 72-year-old mother's life after she was engulfed in flames at her home.

Ian Plant, 41, of Fulham Street, Nelson, had called in to see his mother Anne Plant, in Every Street, when the incident happened.

Mrs Plant, a grandmother of eight, brushed past her gas fire and within seconds her skirt and then the rest of her clothes were set alight.

She suffered burns to her arms, legs and neck and will need skin grafts because of her injuries.

Leading firefighter Roy Waddington, of Nelson Fire and Rescue, said Mr Plant's quick actions saved his mother and issued a warning about the dangers of open fires and gas fires.

She was taken to Burnley General Hospital around teatime on Saturday and was later transferred to a special burns unit at Royal Preston Hospital.

Mr Plant said his mother now felt much better but would be in hospital for quite a long time.

He said: "I didn't think about myself or if I was in danger or about the damage to the house, it was just my mum I was worried about. She was rolling about on the kitchen floor and shouting out. Her skirt was flying everywhere so her other clothes caught fire too.

"She thought she was going to die because she said she was going to be with Arthur, my dad, who died in June.

"I just ran to her and ripped her skirt off her, covered her in water and rang for an ambulance. It probably all happened within about a minute.

"It was all so quick.

"I burned some of my hair and my hands slightly but it was my mum I was thinking about. It wasn't until after that I thought about it and I'm still in shock. It's such a horrible thing.

"I have spoken to her and she remembers everything. She's all bandaged up now and on drugs for the pain. I think she will be in there for quite a while yet."

Firefighters were called to the house at around 5.30pm.

Mr Waddington said: "We believe this lady had been too close to her gas fire and her skirt has caught fire. Her son helped to put out the flames and he got slight burns to his hands in doing so but he refused hospital treatment.

"Mrs Plant was squirming around on the kitchen floor but her son managed to save her from the fire. We treated the burns and assisted the ambulance.

"People do need to be aware of the dangers of both gas fires and open fires.

"This just shows how easy it can be for a serious accident to happen. They should ensure they do not leave any clothing or other materials near the fire or stand too close to it."

Mrs Plant, who used to work in the textile industry, has two sons and a daughter and eight grandchildren.