A pensioner has been rescued from his home after his friend noticed he had been missing for a few days.

John Watkins, of St John's Avenue, Addingham, regularly attends Ilkley Bowling Club and noticed that fellow member Tom Hudson had not turned up for two days.

On Tuesday evening the 60-year-old went round to his friend's home and discovered the 95-year-old unconscious in his Ilkley flat.

The former police inspector said: "I hadn't seen Tom for a few days. He is as regular as clockwork, so I decided to go round to his house to check he was okay.

"I shouted for him and banged on his door but there was no answer."

Mr Watkins saw some policemen and flagged them down to help him. They were able to break down the door and rescue Mr Hudson.

Inspector Paul Clynch, of Keighley Police, said: "At about 7pm we forced entry into the premises and found a man inside unconscious. He was then taken to Airedale General Hospital."

Mr Watkins had initially alerted Ilkley Fire Brigade to ask he if could use one of their ladders to look into the window of the first floor flat.

Ilkley Station Officer Alex Watson said: "We found the man collapsed on the floor. He had been there for some time. He had suffered some cuts and bruises so we administered first aid and gave him some oxygen and we looked after him until the ambulance arrived.

"The nice part about this is the neighbourhood spirit, the fact that somebody noticed he was missing and went out and found him."

A spokesman from Airedale Hospital, told the Gazette yesterday: "Mr Hudson's condition is stable."

Mr Watkins added: "The hospital told me that if it had been there another 12 hours he might not have made it. We think he might have fallen. The circumstances could have been far more tragic. It was just instinct that made me go and find him.

"I just hope that this will make more people look out for the elderly and notice when something isn't normal."