Rescue heroes

HEROES . . . Michael Murphy (left) and Kenny Sharp rescued an elderly neighbour from her flat in Durden Mews, Shaw, after her cooker caught fire

A PAIR of have-a-go heroes rescued an elderly resident from her smoke-filled flat after her kitchen caught fire.

Michael Murphy, of London Road, Derker, and Kenny Sharp didn't give it another thought as they dived into their neighbour's flat in Durden Mews, Shaw, after her cooker caught fire.

Michael, who was visiting his girlfriend and her step father Kenny, were in the neighbouring flat when they heard the fire alarm ringing at shortly before 4.25pm. They went to see what was happening and heard shouting coming from the elderly woman's flat and so decided to act. They got into the flat, which by this point had filled with choking smoke, and made their way to the kitchen where they found their shaken neighbour trying to stem the flames.

By this point the fire service had been called and Michael and Kenny told the woman to get to safety before they set about quelling the fire.

They noticed a container of something that appeared to be flammable on the side and immediately got rid of it before using wet towels from the bathroom to dampen the fire.

Four fire engines attended the blaze, which happened at 4.25pm on Monday, by which point Michael and Kenny had effectively put it out.

Michael said: "I was at my girlfriend's place next door ­- I could hear the alarm ringing so I went outside and I heard someone shouting.

"I think she had left something on the hob and it just set alight. By the time I opened the door there was smoke everywhere. My girlfriend's step dad came with me.

"It was full of smoke and she was in shock. It was going quite bad, within 60 seconds it could have been quite bad.

"We just sent her straight out, she was a bit panicked and a bit shaken.

"It looked like there was something flammable on the side so I got that and threw it away. Kenny got some wet towels to put on it. It must have been going on for five minutes, and when the fire service arrived we had put it out."

Speaking about the decision to enter the flat, he said: "It is just something you would do I think. I didn't do it on my own anyway."

Kenny said: "The woman was very shaken, my wife has gone to check on her today. There was a lot of smoke. She was trying to put water on it but we said no you need to get out.

"I got a bit of adrenaline rush at first but then the smoke was just choking me and I had to cover my face. I have never done anything like that.

"We worked as a team and it got sorted."

"I'm glad no-one got hurt and everything is ok. We had to do it."

A statement from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue said: "At 4.24pm four fire engines were called to reports of a fire involving a third floor flat in Durden Mews, Shaw.

"Crews from Oldham, Chadderton and Hollins attended the fire which involved the kitchen of a flat, with smoke also travelling into a neighbouring flat."