A QUICK-THINKING neighbour ran for help after a mum and her young child became trapped at an upstairs window of their smoke-filled house.

Michael Caffrey heard the woman's screams for help and rushed to get nearby workers who had a ladder. They rushed back to the burning house in Shuttleworth Street, Earby, and rescued the terrified Lisa Terry and her three-year-old son John just as firefighters arrived at the scene.

The dramatic rescue happened around 2pm yesterday as Michael, 35, was sitting in his front room.

"I was on the phone and I saw a lot of smoke drifting past the front window," he said. "I didn't think anything of it at first but it kept coming past so I went outside to see what was going on.

"The mother and child were on the top bedrooms windowsill and smoke was pouring out from behind them. The fumes were terrible and their faces were black. She was obviously frightened but she seemed to be handling it OK. "I went to call the fire brigade and then I thought about getting a ladder. I knew there'd been some workmen working at Wardle Storeys just round the corner so I went to find them and luckily they had a ladder.

"We went racing back to the house and they put the ladder up to the window. One of the lads went up to get the boy and the mum came down herself."

They were taken to Airedale General Hospital to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. Two fire crews tackled the blaze, which started in the lounge.

Inspector Joyce Weldon, of Colne police, said: "There was extensive damage to the lounge. The people managed to get out but the family cat got stuck inside. I saw the fire brigade giving it oxygen but it was very poorly.

"There are no suspicious circumstances."

The lounge was severely damaged by the fire and there was extensive smoke damage to the first floor bedroom and bathroom.

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