A TAXI driver joined forces with two police officers to save three people - including an 18-month-old child - from a smoke-filled house in Newport yesterday.

Dean Holden, from Bettws, managed to kick open the front door of the house in Glebe Street, Maindee, and help talk a woman with her child to safety from the first floor. A 15-year-old boy escaped by climbing out of a bedroom window onto the roof of a lean-to in the garden.

Two patrolling police officers - PCs Becky Taylor and Lesley Green - had discovered smoke billowing from the house while they were patrolling the area at around 6.50am.

They could not open the door, which had been double locked, but managed to flag down Mr Holden, who was answering a call further down the street.

Mr Holden was modest about his efforts later.

"I'm just glad it had a happy ending and the people got out all right," he said. "When I kicked the door open the smoke came pouring out and we could hear people crying and screaming.

"We were talking to them all the time and the officers managed to crawl inside and met the woman with the baby halfway down the stairs."

Inspector David Johnson, of Gwent Police, praised the officers "quick-wittedness and bravery" in flagging down Mr Holden and going inside to help.

"They went in on their hands and knees because the smoke was so thick," he said. Fire investigators later discovered that the cause was an electrical fault in a fridge-freezer.

"There wasn't any fire but I understand it was ten minutes away from going off with a bang," said Inspector Johnson.

"But the smoke was very thick. It is very fortunate the officers came across the scene when they did and that Mr Holden was passing at the time. This could have been much worse."

Those rescued - who have not been named - were treated in Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital for the effects of smoke inhalation but their conditions were not considered serious.

* Pictured: Taxi driver Dean Holder with PCs Becky Taylor, left, and Lesley Green outside the house in Glebe Street, Newport