Father and son rescue pair from Telford blaze

Father and son David and Michael Payne raced to the scene with a ladder to pull two people clear from a first floor window in Sunningdale, Hadley.

The fire broke out at about2am on Saturday and two people, named locally as Lackie and Paula, were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Their pet cat was also rescued but it is believed their daughter, also named locally as Jody, was not in the house at the time.

Michael, 25, who had just finished work at the Denso factory in Hortonwood, ran out of the house at 2.10am after hearing screams.

He was followed by his father, David, 46, who had only brought his ladder home from work at 11pm the night before to carry out chimney repairs.

Meanwhile David's partner, Claire Preece, 42, called the fire service from their home in Sunningdale. A man in his 30s, from Telford, has since been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He was last night being interviewed by detectives at Telford Police Station.

Neighbours spoke of their shock after the fire broke out at around 2.30am.

The occupants had put wet towels under their bedroom door, but were in danger of being overcome by the smoke.

David Payne said: "I think another two minutes and they would have passed out because you could hear changes in their voices.

"They were both in complete shock once we got them out."

"It's strange how I just happened to have the ladder with me because otherwise we would have had to go through the front door."

He added: "My son ran out first and then I followed just behind. We couldn't get Paula out the of the window at first but we managed to raise the ladder higher and pulled her out.

"Lackie was waiting behind her. I've never seen anyone looking so scared in all my life. He'd wet a towel and put it under the door but the smoke was billowing in, another two minutes and they would have passed out."

Neighbour Michael Worthington, 66, and his wife, Angela, 62, were also woken by screams.

Mr Worthington said: "The father and son deserve recognition for being first on the scene with the ladder and for saving their lives.

"It has made us all assess how safe we would be our houses if there was a fire."

Mrs Worthington said she was still shock about the fire.

She said David and Michael Payne deserved a medal for their actions.

"We've lived here since 1979 and we've never seen anything like this," she added.

"It's very frightening to think what could have happened."

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "Two occupants were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

"At this time police are treating the fire as suspicious and investigations are ongoing.

"A man in his 30s, from the Telford area, has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and is currently at Telford police station.

"If anyone saw anything suspicious in the area, or has any information, they are asked to contact us."

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said two crews attended and two people were rescued using a ladder before crews arrived.

Once at the scene, crews used two jets to put out the blaze.

It is thought the couple are now staying with relatives.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 68 of October 25, 2014.

Alternatively, information can be passed on anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.