Neighbours saved the life of a man trapped in a house fire after hearing a window explode in the blaze.

Isobel Kellett and her son-in-law Freddy Fox were watching television when they heard breaking glass from across the street.

When they opened the door they saw their neighbour Mark Leavesley banging on a first-floor bedroom as a fire raged below.

Mrs Kellett, of Eagle Street, Keighley, said: "The living room just exploded in flames, I was panicking. We called the fire brigade who got here really quickly.

"He was trapped upstairs and he threw a chair through the window and was going to jump for it.

"A neighbour brought some ladders to try and rescue him but then the firemen came and got him out."

Mr Leavesley, who lived with his girlfriend, was given oxygen at the scene and then taken to Airedale Hospital and was later released.

Mrs Kellett said his girlfriend was out walking her dogs when the blaze broke out at around 9.45pm on Saturday and returned as he was being treated by ambulance staff.

Sub-officer Philip Troake, of Keighley Fire Station, said Mr Leavesley could have died if his neighbours had not raised the alarm.

He said: "He was extremely lucky that his neighbours heard the window go. The fire had really taken hold in the living room by the time we arrived.

"The man wasn't burned but he needed oxygen. The rest of the house was badly smoke damaged."

Fire investigators were examining the house today to identify the cause of the blaze.

Police are also investigating the cause. A man has been arrested and is helping police with their inquiries.

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