Two heroes have been awarded for their bravery by the West Yorkshire Fire Service after rescuing a man from a house fire.

Gina Watkiss, 65, and Denise Hall, 59, were presented with a District Manager's Commendation after saving a neighbour surrounded by smoke in his Cleckheaton home.

Lee Benson, Cleck-heaton fire station manager at the time, said the pair had shown great bravery and awareness at raising the alarm and entering the smoke-logged home.

He said: "Mrs Watkiss realised that the smoke detectors had gone off and went to raise the alarm.

"Meanwhile, Mrs Hall realised that the man was still in the house which was really quite smoke-logged.

"She actually went into the house and assisted the occupier, who was overcome by the smoke, to get out.

"When we got there we had crews go in with breathing apparatus, although by the time we got there it would have built up a bit more."

Mr Benson, now manager at Brighouse and Elland station, said crews visited the area, Twelfth Avenue, in the Windybank Estate, Cleckheaton, earlier in the year.

He said both learned techniques and information to assist them in this operation.

The fire, which was on November 22, had started from a cigarette.