Quick-thinking OAP calls on ex-firefighter for help (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Quick-thinking OAP calls on ex-firefighter for help

A PENSIONER was lucky enough to be able to call on help from one of her neighbours when a fire broke out at her house in Long Compton.

As well as ringing the fire brigade when she spotted smoke coming from the roof of her extension, Janet Stevens, aged 67, called on retired firefighter David Rewbridge to help her out. Her husband, Gordon, was out at the time.

Quick-thinking Janet, from Shipston Road, also gave Mr Rewbridge the garden hose so he could keep the blaze under control until firefighters from Stratford and Chipping Norton arrived at about 12noon on Monday.

She said: "It's a low extension so it wasn't a matter of getting right on top of the roof, but smoke was starting to come back into the kitchen. You couldn't just stand and look at it.

"There wasn't much damage really, just to part of the roof structure and some of the timbers."

She added that the fire had started due to a build-up of soot in the chimney which had now been cleaned out by the firefighters.

The roof of the extension would need to be repaired.

She also thanked Mr Rewbridge for his help.

"I was grateful he was able to come along and damp it down," she said.

Stratford sub-officer Adrian Ashley praised the quick-thinking of Mrs Stevens and Mr Rewbridge and added: "They did exactly the right thing."