A GULF war soldier who was maimed in a "friendly fire" attack came to the rescue of his neighbours after spotting their house was on fire.

Trooper Andy Julien (18) relies on a wheelchair and crutches to get around after his legs were broken and burned when his Challenger tank was hit in Iraq.

He was also blinded in one eye after being hit by shrapnel but 50 per cent of his vision has returned.

But he did not think twice about raising the alarm when he saw smoke pouring out of the bedroom window two doors away from his home in Balmoral Avenue, Whitefield.

As a result of his quick-thinking actions and those of his uncle, Davis Richards, three young children and their older brother were able to get out of the house safely, before fire crews arrived.

The bedroom was destroyed in the blaze, which happened at 3.30pm on Tuesday (June 17).

Andy's uncle, Mr Richards is staying with the family while the teenager recovers from his injuries.

He said Andy went outside for a cigarette and spotted smoke coming from a bedroom window. He wheeled himself up to the house and called the fire service on his mobile while Mr Richards shouted through the front door to alert the occupants.

No one was injured in the fire but Mr Richards said he became concerned for Andy because of his injuries and pulled his wheelchair away from the house.

He said: "He was very calm throughout but there was thick black smoke coming out of the window so I pulled him back."

Andy's mother, Mrs Avis Julien, added: "When I heard I thought 'Oh no, here we go again.' He just had to be there.

"But it is typical of Andy, he thinks first of others before himself, despite his injuries."

The owner of the house, father-of-seven Phil Thompson, was extremely grateful to his neighbours and said: "They are a nice family and they said if we need anything to let them know. We do not see our neighbours that much but it's nice to know they helped when we needed it."

Mr Thompson (46) was informed of the fire while at work at the Big W store in Cheetham Hill. "My son said I had lost the house. We have lost all the kids clothes and my wife, Mo, and I were just trying to get back on our feet again after I had been out of work for two years. But at least the children are all okay, it doesn't matter about the things we lost so long as the children are safe."

It is thought Mr Thompson's eight-year-old son started the blaze accidentally after playing in the bedroom with a cigarette lighter.