Quick-thinking neighbours and an eagle-eyed policeman came to the aid of a woman when her Bradford home burst into flames.

Police said the blaze broke out after an old sofa was pushed up against the back door of a house in Compton Street, Dudley Hill, and set alight.

Residents sprang into action when the late-night drama erupted, dousing the flames with water and screaming at the woman, aged in her 30s, to get out of the house.

A passing policeman, who had been to another incident, spotted the smoke as he drove past the end of the street and took command of the situation until Odsal firefighters arrived.

A fire service spokesman said: “There was a young lady in the house but she managed to get out okay.”

The spokesman said no fire alarms were fitted at the house and added that the situation could have been a lot worse had it not been for the quick actions of neighbours and the policeman.

Neighbour Mariyl Broadbent said she called the fire service after her 16-year-old son Danny Broadbent came dashing into the house to tell her the property across the road was on fire.

Miss Broadbent’s partner, Paul Bronsz, then ran across the road with another neighbour and poured water on the flames.

She said: “I think she was asleep inside and, if they hadn’t banged on the door, anything could have happened to that poor lass.

“From what I understand, she’s pregnant as well, so that makes it even more frightening.”

Firefighters said the blaze, which happened at about 11pm on Monday, caused fire damage to the UPVC door and smoke damage inside the house.

Fire alarms have now been fitted at the property and residents in the surrounding area have been told they can reduce the risk of future incidents by not leaving old sofas, mattresses and other rubbish lying around in their gardens.

David Fletcher, a neighbour, said the first he knew of the incident was when he heard a commotion outside his house in the early hours.

He said: “I looked out of the bedroom window and the fire service and police were there and they were boarding up the house.”

* A 51-year-old man, of Holme Wood, Bradford, has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.