A grieving mother today spoke of her son's tragic death in a fire in his Bradford home just hours after he had been out celebrating the new Millennium.

The body of 36-year-old Andrew Johnson was found by firefighters called to his first floor flat in Wibsey High Street just hours into the start of the New Year.

His mother Margaret Gordon said her son had been out celebrating the Millennium with a friend only hours before his tragic death which she believes was due to smoke inhalation.

She said it was the first year he had not seen in the New Year with his sister Diane, who lives nearby.

"He and his mate probably had one to many as you would on New Year's Eve and he went home, lit a cigarette and fell asleep on the settee," she said.

"It's just awful, we can't believe it." Mr Johnson trained as a joiner and had worked for firms in the Bradford area.

Mrs Gordon said: "He had had some ups and downs in the past 18 months and he was just starting to get his life back together.

"He loved his work and he would do jobs for anyone."

Mr Johnson's sister said: "He was a hard worker - a real perfectionist. And he was a really jolly lad, always laughing and joking. Everybody knew him and liked him."

The family is planning to take Mr Johnson's body back to Liverpool for a funeral service.

An inquest is due to be opened later this week. Leading Firefighter Steven Cookson, of Odsal fire station was one of the crew which went to the scene at about 6.30am on January 1.

"When we arrived the flat was smoke-logged and there was quite a severe fire in the living room, which is where we found him."

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