A neighbour who bravely risked his own safety to rescue a woman from her burning flat has been praised for his actions by the fire service.

Scott Rocks outside the flat in Arran Place, York, where he rescued a women from the fire in her flat

Scott Rocks, 24, saved the life of Mavis Anderson, 38, after fire broke out in her home and she became trapped inside during the early hours of today.

He smashed a front window of the flat in Arran Place, off Dodsworth Avenue, Heworth, and dragged her out before North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service arrived.

She was taken to York District Hospital suffering from burnt hands, cuts and the effects of smoke inhalation. She was said to be comfortable.

Mr Rocks was alerted to the fire in the ground floor flat next to his own by his girlfriend, Lisa Pearson, at around 1.45am today.

Scott, a mechanic, said: "My girlfriend came in and said the other flat was on fire, so I went out and turned the gas off and tried to wake up the elderly people in the flats upstairs.

"I got to the window and it was all blacked out with smoke so I shouted to her.

"It was so hot that the glass just fell in when I pushed it and I dragged her out.

"Anyone would have done the same thing."

Station officer Jeremy Rushworth, of York Fire Station, said the cause of the fire was not yet clear and an investigation was under way.

He said: "There was a fire in a ground floor flat and a lady called the fire brigade herself.

"She was trapped inside and a neighbour rescued her before we arrived there.

"He couldn't get in through the door so he broke a window and she was standing on the other side.

"It was a very brave thing to do.

"It was quite a serious fire and 70 per cent of the lounge was destroyed and the rest of the flat was totally smoke logged so she wouldn't have survived much longer in there.

"She is very lucky to be alive."

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service sent two pumps to the fire and quickly brought it under control.

They also rescued a cat from the property and although it was resuscitated using breathing apparatus its condition was thought to be poorly and it was taken away by a vet.

Station officer Rushworth said the remnants of a smoke detector had been found in the flat without a battery.

But he said the cause of the fire was still unknown.

"We're not exactly sure and until we can get to speak to the woman I wouldn't like to comment," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.