A HEROIC mum who risked her own life to save an elderly neighbour from his burning house has been highlighted in a new book about the 20th century's most courageous women.

Elaine Walsh won the coveted Stanhope Gold Medal, the Royal Humane Society's highest bravery award, for her daring fire rescue in 1989.

Elaine, her husband Michael and their two children, were returning to their home at Brodick Road, Blackburn, when they saw flames shooting out of a neighbour's house.

Michael ran off to get help and left Elaine and the children outside the house.

Elaine heard moaning coming from the house so she handed her baby to her six-year-old son, told him to stay out of the garden and ran into the house.

She was met by a cloud of thick black smoke, but guided by the moans of her neighbour she found him and despite his weight managed to drag him outside.

The man said his son was still in the house and when Michael returned he went back to look but was beaten back by the heat and flames.

The fire brigade finally arrived and rescued the son.

Elaine was hailed a heroine at the time and was honoured with two bravery awards, but was always very modest about what she had done.

Now her story has been retold in the book "Twentieth Century Women of Courage" by Squadron Leader Beryl E Scott.

The book combines the names and deeds of women who have distinguished themselves through courage from the beginning of the century to the present day.

Elaine's story appears alongside that of the nursery nurse Lisa Potts who received the George Medal for defending the children in her charge against a machete-wielding maniac.

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