He's my hero

For although he suffers serious health problems, Bernard Howes, aged 57, sprang into action when he spotted a fire in the kitchen of his neighbour Rebecca's home.

He managed to retrieve the semi-conscious 20-year-old from her smoke-filled flat, but needed hospital treatment after he inhaled smoke during the dramatic rescue.

Mr Howes, of Brangwyn Road, Cefn Golau, was on his way to bed at around 12.10am last Saturday, when he saw a glow coming from the window of a flat in Attlee Way.

"I said to my wife Christine that I thought there was a fire, but she said it was just a light flickering. Then we saw smoke," he explained.

Mr Howes, who had a diseased lung removed four years ago, phoned the fire brigade and grabbed his torch before running over to the house and banging on the door.

"There was no answer so I tried the door and it was open. I ran inside and saw a woman sitting on the settee, she was semi-conscious," he told the Argus.

He said the fire appeared to have started in a stove in the kitchen and the flat was filled with smoke, which disorientated him.

"I had to go back outside to get my breath then I went back in and dragged her off the settee and across the floor.

"The fire brigade turned up just as I got her to the back steps," he added. Firefighters from Ebbw Vale and Tredegar wore breathing apparatus while they put out the blaze using hose reels.

Mr Howes was taken by ambulance to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, where he was released after treatment for the effects of inhaling smoke. Ms Jones has also now recovered.

"Her father and boyfriend have both been over to thank me for what I did," said Mr Howes.

"To be honest, I have been on a high all week. It is terrible to think of what could have happened to her, and she is only 20. I've had lots of telephone calls from people asking me if I'm all right."

Sergeant Steve Williams, of Tredegar police, said the fire was accidental and started in a chip pan.

"The young lady was very fortunate that Mr Howes was there," he said.

"She was already suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation when he arrived."

He added that police were now considering some form of award for Mr Howes.

Rebecca Jones met Mr Howes yesterday to thank him for the prompt action that almost certainly saved her life - and told the Argus she was extremely grateful to him.

"If it hadn't been for him I don't know what would have happened," she said. "He is a very brave man. Another 20 minutes and that could have been it."

She said she was unable to remember anything about what happened. "I can just remember coming home to the flat from my parents' house, but I don't remember putting the chip pan on and the next thing I can remember is waking up and the fire brigade were there," she said.

And there is a final twist to the tale: Rebecca, who has now made a full recovery, has just discovered that her father, Stuart Jones, and her rescuer are distant relatives.