A woman who was dragged unconscious from her smoke-logged home said she would have died if it hadn't been for the heroic actions of a family friend.

Bernadette Esfahan, 40, had fallen asleep watching television when cigarette ends in the kitchen dustbin caught fire at around 10.15pm on Sunday.

She was rescued by Rob Lunan - one of her husband's employees -who made a ten- minute dash from their shop, Pizza Base in Cleckheaton, to get Bernadette out.

"All I can remember is phoning my husband Bruno and telling him there was a fire in the house," said Bernadette, who had that day finished decorating the lounge and kitchen of her home in Kingsley Close, Birkenshaw.

"Bruno told me to get out and said he was sending Rob around. I can remember little bits, like going into the kitchen and eggshells exploding all over the place, then unlocking the patio door with a key and finally being laid in the hallway of my neighbour's house with their dog licking my face.

"Rob saved my life. I would most definitely have been dead if it hadn't been for him."

Rob, of Second Avenue, Windybank, Liversedge, said when he got there, he could see an orange glow surrounding the house and flames at the kitchen door.

"I panicked and was kicking the back door, trying to open it, but it was locked," he said. "I managed to get the patio doors open and all the smoke just came bellowing out. I couldn't see anything and I just started feeling about. I felt Bernie's feet and dragged her to me.

"I've seen people on television doing what I did and thought 'idiots - they're mad!' but I just thought 'I've got to get Bernie out.'"

Rob, who lives with his partner Gemma and their five-month-old daughter Emma-Jane, said: "I took a risk going in there, but the fireman told me Bernie was lucky I'd got there when I did and had the guts to go in."

Bernadette was taken to Dewsbury District Hospital where she was treated for smoke inhalation and later released.