ASTHMATIC Sean Carpenter owes his life to a Whitefield firefighter after suffering a near-fatal attack.

Mr Carpenter (22) stopped breathing after he tried to tackle a car fire in North Street, Radcliffe, at 1am yesterday. He was receiving oxygen treatment for smoke inhalation in the back of a fire engine when he collapsed.

Firefighter Malcolm Cowsill, a trauma technician at Whitefield Fire Station, gave mouth-to-mouth and revived Mr Carpenter. He was then taken by ambulance to Fairfield General Hospital as a precaution. Yesterday, he was recovering from his ordeal at home.

Sean's mum said: "Sean has had asthma for a long time but he has never had an attack like this one.

"I am so grateful to Malcolm. He saved my son's life."

The drama began at 1am yesterday (Thursday) when Sean was walking home along North Street when he spotted two lads running away from a burning car.

The 22-year-old attempted to put out the fire and shouted for residents to call the fire service.

Sub Officer Steve Simpson, of Whitefield fire service, said: "When we arrived, Sean was suffering an asthma attack, brought on by breathing in fumes, and was he struggling to breath.

"We took him into the back of the fire appliance and Malcolm gave him oxygen. Sean then collapse and he had stopped breathing. Malcolm began giving mouth-to-mouth and Sean responded. The car fire was not a major incident but it could have had fatal consequences."