A ‘HERO’ neighbour entered a burning building to save the life of an elderly lady.

Sarah Bray sprung into action after a microwave sparked a fire in the kitchen of a terraced house on Sun Street in Ulverston.

She was alerted to the fire when her carbon monoxide alarm went off which triggered her to call 999.

But before they arrived she decided to enter the house, where she found the resident upstairs.

Sian Kelly 39, another neighbour who works as an auxilliary nurse, said: “It was very scary as I have a family here.

“Nothing like this ever happens here.

“It is a shock.

“Sarah was amazing and went in to get her out.

“You have got to be brave to go in to a fire and get her out.”

Three fire engines, one from Barrow and two from Ulverston, and one ambulance, were called to the fire at around 9pm on Wednesday.

Crews used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, and one thermal imaging camera to extinguish the fire.

Station manager Roger Exley, said: “This was a significant fire that started in the kitchen from the microwave.

“There was just an elderly lady on her own in the house.

“She is around 80 years-old.

“The neighbour called us as the smoke went into their house and set off the carbon monoxide alarm.

“Damage from the burning was mainly in the kitchen however there was smoke damage to other areas of the house.

“The lady involved was taken to Furness General Hospital for smoke inhalation.

“I have been to see her though and she is now OK.”

He added: “There were detectors that had been taken down in the property.

“I think people should check their detectors.

"I want people to make sure they test them regularly and keep them where they are fitted.

“The fire service will come to houses to fit them free of charge.

"From the last seven building fires we have attended in the last month, five have been started in the kitchen.

“So I want to raise awareness of kitchen safety to stop this happening again.”

lIf you don’t have smoke detectors call free phone number 08003584777.