A MAN set himself on fire in front of two police officers on Pendle Hill.

PCs Paul Spooner and Paul Travis have been hailed as heroes for their quick-thinking actions which saved the 50-year-old man’s life.

They used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames seconds after he had doused himself in petrol and ignited it with a cigarette lighter.

Last night the man was being treated in the Royal Blackburn Hospital for minor injuries after being airlifted from Pendle Hill.

The officers had launched an East Lancashire-wide search after they said a suicide note was found at his Blackburn home at 12.20pm yesterday.

The pair, acting on information that he frequently visited the beauty spot, headed for a search of the area.

At 1.20pm, they tracked him down to a lay-by off Clitheroe Road, near Sabden, on the Nick o' Pendle.

PC Spooner said: “When we arrived he was sat in a Citroen van and told us to keep back.

"He then got out of the vehicle and held a five-litre fuel can above his head, pouring it over himself."

He said that the man then set fire to himself, but was ablaze for less than 10 seconds as PC Spooner officer grabbed a fire extinguisher from his patrol car and put out the fire.

PC Spooner said: “His entire upper body and head were on fire.

"I just ran up to him with the fire extinguisher and put him out as quickly as I could but we then had to restrain him until the ambulance arrived.

"An ambulance had already been called and we are lucky that he only suffered minor injuries, including injuries to his airway.

"Everything happened within just a couple of minutes.

Their actions were praised by senior officers.

Inspector Graham Ashcroft said: “PC Paul Spooner and PC Paul Travis who dealt with the emergency showed great courage and quick thinking.

"They wrestled the man to the ground to prevent him from leaving once they had put out the fire.”

PC Spooner said their actions were instinctive and as the result of their training.

He said: “We managed to get to him very quickly when he set fire to himself.

“It all happened within a few minutes of us arriving so we acted as best we could to ensure this man’s safety.”