FARMER Neil Caton was rescued from a fire at his holiday bunk barn by blacksmith David Clements last Thursday.

Mr Caton, 59, had gone to help the blacksmith who was working on a fire escape in another part of the Hornby Laithe barn at Stainforth.

But when he arrived he spotted smoke coming from a self-contained flat in the barn and went into investigate.

His wife, Enid, said: "He went into the flat but the door shut behind him. He couldn't find the Yale lock because of all the smoke. He could have suffocated but David managed to get the door open."

Mr Clements, of Castlebergh Lane, Settle, said: "I heard a banging and realised Neil was trapped. It was thick smoke and he couldn't see the lock on the door but I managed to open it.

"If Neil hadn't been coming down to see us, it would have burnt for some time without anyone noticing and could have caught the whole building."

The heat was so great the television and clock melted, and damage was caused to the floorboards and the kitchen units. The fire is being blamed on an electrical fault.

Enid and Neil, who also run a bed and breakfast business, have been hit by the foot and mouth crisis, and had a much needed booking for the bunk barn on Saturday.

Friends, family and local tradesman rallied round to ensure the barn was ready for the holidaymakers - a party from Leeds celebrating a 50th birthday.

Mrs Caton said: "Everybody was brilliant. It is nice to know that people were able to come and help. We have appreciated that. We have given local tradesmen a lot of work on the house and the bunk barn and it was repaid when we needed their help."

She added: "We just can't afford to lose any bookings. The bookings for bed and breakfast have been down 50 per cent because of foot and mouth.

" We have lost some bookings for the bunk barn but have been very lucky because people tend to want it for parties. It could have been a disaster as we have bookings until the end of the year."