A WOMAN told today how she battled to bring her boyfriend back to life after finding him in his smoke-filled house.

But Carl Moores, 39, later died despite Tina Ball's brave efforts.

Today family and friends paid tribute to the lorry driver following the blaze at his home in Zion Place, Ebbw Vale.

Miss Ball, 40, said she had spoken to her boyfriend just a couple of hours before the tragedy.

When she returned home on Friday night she was met with thick black smoke.

She found Mr Moores unconscious on the floor and a chip pan blazing nearby.

"When I called he asked me if I wanted a take-away," said Miss Ball.

"It took him about half an hour to get served and when I came home it was so smoky I was looking for a window when I fell over Carl who was on the floor.

"The frying pan was on fire a little bit so I got a damp towel and put it out."

She then gave him mouth to mouth and battled to bring him back to life until an ambulance crew arrived.

Miss Ball, who has a young son, added: "My instinct was to try to save him straight away.

"I can't believe it. My son's words were 'He was the only father I ever knew'. It's awful.

"The ambulance service and the paramedics were brilliant, it only took them about 10 minutes to arrive."

The fire broke out shortly before midnight on Friday.

An investigation is under way, although there are no suspicious circumstances.

Mr Moores was taken to Nevill Hall Hospital but was pronounced dead at 1.10am.

Miss Ball said she had also lost a partner through illness 17 years ago, the day before she was due to get married.

She added: "I am staying with Carl's parents at the moment, if it wasn't for them or my friends, I would be homeless."

Mr Moores' sister, Tina O'Callaghan, said: "She is like a member of the family."

"I think it's what Carl would have wanted," said his mother, Rita Moores, 63, adding: "Tina is brave, she doesn't like sympathy or letting life drag her down, she picks herself up and carries on."