PARENTS are being urged to put matches and lighters out of reach following a house fire in Bradford which is thought to have been caused by a child playing with a lighter.

A family, including five children, escaped from the blaze on Westfield Terrace at Undercliffe - thanks to the bravery of a policeman who ran into the smoke-filled house six times.

The blaze on Saturday afternoon, which was between the front door and the stairs, is believed to have been started by a child playing with a lighter, according to fire service investigators.

Ian Bitcon, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service area manager for fire safety, stressed the deadly dangers posed by lighters and matches.

"We have recently run a child safety campaign which highlighted the dangers of children playing with lighters or matches," he said.

"These items can present an element of fascination to youngsters but they are not toys and should not be treated as such.

"Fortunately no-one was hurt in this fire but the potential consequences could have been devastating.

"We would urge parents to instil this message in their children and ensure that these items are not within easy reach in the home."

On Monday, PC Sean Cannon, 44, who rescued the children, returned to the scene to meet the Herak family.

PC Cannon was on call at the other end of Westfield Terrace when he heard shouting and screaming and saw 11-year-old Daniel Herak jumping from an upstairs window shouting: "Fire, fire."

He braved choking smoke to rescue the children and their great-aunt, 59, who has epilepsy.

At one point he fell to the floor, almost passing out, after breathing in a lungful of black smoke.

The first time he ran into the house he was beaten back by the smoke and flames but tried again and made it through the fire and got to a window where he was able to breathe before searching for the family.

The officer was later given oxygen treatment at the scene to combat the effects of breathing in smoke.

He told the Telegraph & Argus that he was just doing his job.

"I just didn't think about it - all the adrenaline was pumping. I just did what I had to."

The children's father, Jan Herak, who was not at home when the fire started, thanked PC Cannon for his bravery and his quick-thinking.

He said: "I'm really happy that everybody is okay and that we are safe."