Neighbour saves boy from blaze

A child was pulled out of a blazing house by a hero neighbour who raced inside to rescue him.

Two of the children fled the blazing home in Blackheath, with one raising the alarm with neighbour Brett Chater.

After getting the mother out he then ran through the flames and up the stairs to save the other child. His name has now been put forward for an award.

Mr Chater, aged 38, who works in marketing for Halesowen engineering company Wyko, said: "I was woken just before 3am by Amy, the eldest daughter of the lady who lives next door.

"Julie, her mum, was very upset. She had been in the room where the fire had started. Two children were already outside and it was then I realised seven-year-old Jack was unaccounted for. I didn't think about it, it was something I did purely on instinct. Anyone would have done the same thing in that situation."

Fire crews from Oldbury and Cradley were called to the fire in Mackmillan Road in the early hours of the morning, where the blaze had been started by a tea light left on a TV.

Watch commander Lee Moran of Oldbury said: "The next door neighbour did an amazing job and we will be recommending him for some type of official recognition."

He said the mother was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure and also warned of the dangers of leaving candles and tea lights unattended.