A man who cheated death in a blaze at his home today praised firefighters to whom he said he "owed his life".

Jason Bottomley, 32, was dragged unconscious from the house after he collapsed as he tried to escape the fire.

Speaking from his hospital bed, he told how he was certain he would die as he became trapped while blinded by thick smoke caused by the fierce blaze.

Firefighters sped to the terraced house in Lidget Green, Bradford, after his neighbours Joanne Farley and James Royle raised the alarm when they spotted smoke pouring into the street. The fire crew found Mr Bottomley unconscious by a barred window which he had broken in a desperate effort to escape.

The blaze had started after Mr Bottomley returned to his home in Club Street following a night out on New Year's Eve. He fell asleep on the settee, leaving an electric heater on.

He later woke to find the heater had set the settee on fire.

"When I'm better I want to thank my neighbours because without them I wouldn't be here now," Mr Bottomley said from St Luke's Hospital where he is being treated for burns and cuts.

"The firefighters also saved my life. I want to go and see the people who got me out and stand them a pint.

"I couldn't see for smoke. It was just black. I jumped over the breakfast bar to the window at the other end of the room and in a panic I punched through the glass. Light flooded in and I pushed my face to the window to try to get some air. That was when I saw the bars in the window and remembered it was impossible to get out that way."

His only escape route was through the front door but that was blocked by flames - and they were rushing towards him. "I realised the only choice I had was to hit the deck and try to get some air," he said. "But I only managed to take one breath and felt my arms going weak as the smoke got to me. It was like being given an injection and sent to sleep.

"My life flashed before me and then everything went black.

"The next thing I remember is being passed from one firefighter to the next as they got me out of the building."

Mr Bottomley was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation and cuts. His face was burned and his thumb broken from punching the bars in the window.

Fairweather Green Station Officer Andy Newman said Mr Bottomley was "seconds from death" when he was rescued. He said his crew were just carrying out their duty. "But it's good to have some recognition once in a while from somebody who has been rescued," he said. "We very rarely get any appreciation for our efforts so we are grateful for these thanks."

Mr Newman said firefighters Renee Gregoire and Roberto Puzo pulled Mr Bottomley from his blazing home.

Mr Royle and Miss Farley, both 20, spotted the fire shortly before 10am.

Mr Royle said he was "chuffed" that Mr Bottomley was recovering.