A modest hero injured saving a family from a house blaze today played down his heroic deed.

Umer Saddique was watching television at around 1.30am today inSt Stephens Street, West Bowling, when he was disturbed by a womans screams.

After opening the door to make sure he wasn't imagining things, the 27-year-old got his brother to call the fire brigade while he ran towards the cries.

About 100 yards down the road he saw thick smoke bellowing from a house, and a woman shouting desperately from an upstairs window.

You wouldn't believe someone could scream that loud, he said, I was there on my own and I didn't know what to do, so I picked up a big flagstone and put it through the bottom window, but there was too much smoke to see anything inside.

Then another neighbour kicked the door in, and I helped him pull out the settee, which was on fire, but we still couldn't get through.

While more helpers arrived with ladders, Mr Saddique and Brian Cussans, from Ackworth Street, shinned up the drainpipe to reach the family.

The woman handed a baby to Mr Cussans, whom he passed down to Mr Saddique while he balanced precariously on a side wall. An older boy and then the woman escaped by climbing down a ladder brought by Bernard Hunt, of Springmill Street.

Mr Saddique, who was treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary today for a knee injury sustained during the rescue, said: I was scared we would drop the baby, but we didnt know how long they had been trapped in there.

At the end of the day its someone's family, isn't it, and you cant just stand there, you have to do something. Im just glad that I got help. All the neighbours were brilliant.

Firefighters have praised the bravery of all those who helped. The family escaped with nothing worse than shock and smoke inhalation.

Odsal sub officer Bentley Smith said: The room that was on fire was directly underneath the ladder that they were on, so they were very brave.

And pulling out the burning sofa was a feat in itself. They all did an excellent job.

The house was a rented property which had no smoke alarms fitted.

Odsal station commander Allan Jones urged the districts landlords to improve safety and save themselves money, by taking precautions.

He said: The people who carried out the rescue did a tremendous job and we definitely want to make sure they get the praise they deserve. But we do urge people to fit smoke detectors.

Anyone interested should call their local station for more details.