A 21-year-man was lucky to be alive today after being rescued from a terrifying ordeal locked in his burning flat.

The alarm was raised at 4am today when Jodie Bates was woken by smoke in his first-floor home at Whetley Grove, Girlington.

Unable to find the key for his front door, Mr Bates hurled his television aerial out of his bedroom window. It thudded against the window of a downstairs neighbour, who looked out to see what was going on and called the fire brigade.

Station Officer David Swales, of Bradford's Nelson Street Fire Station, said Mr Bates was desperately calling for help when firefighters arrived.

He said: "He is extremely lucky to be alive. If he hadn't been woken up by the smoke he wouldn't have been here now.

"When we got there the man was banging on the inside of his door trying to get out. He had locked his door and then in all the smoke was unable to find where he had left the key. The flat was totally smokelogged.

"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus had to smash the door down to get him out. We think he has smashed his own window and thrown his TV aerial out. It's bounced off the ground and hit the window downstairs, waking the neighbour." When the neighbour looked out of his window he saw smoke pouring out from upstairs and called us.

"People need to be aware that when they lock their door they need to have an idea where they can find their key if they need to get out in a hurry.

"It also seems the fire alarm didn't work. The moral of this story is that people need to check their alarms are working."

Station Officer Swales said the blaze had been caused by a chip pan accidentally left on. Mr Bates was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary suffering smoke inhalation and later released.