More than 20 people were trapped by a fire which broke out in a block of flats early today.

Some of the terrified people had to jump to safety after the blaze broke out in the ground floor at 5.30am.

And a four-year-old boy was taken to hospital after being rescued from the blaze which is being treated as suspicious.

When firefighters arrived at Leafield House, in Newall Street, Little Horton, Bradford, many frightened residents were hanging out of the windows gasping for air.

A hydraulic platform was used to rescue two people who were trapped, as six firefighters with breathing apparatus led about 20 people to safety.

Four people had jumped from the first floor and were uninjured.

The four-year-old boy, who had been brought out of the flat by firefighters, was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation.

Today, two of the people who escaped the blaze Stafford Reagen and Natalie Moriarty told how they were woken by the smell of smoke.

The couple, who live in a first floor flat attempted to use the stairs to escape but were pushed back by the flames and smoke.

Miss Moriarty, 16, said: "I had been up watching a late film and had only just gone to bed. When I woke up the room was full of smoke and the only way out was on to the veranda but when we got out there we couldn't see anything because of the smoke.

"I was scared to death, I knew that the only way to get out was to jump off the balcony but I just couldn't do it. Two men from another block of flats saw me and ran over to help so I climbed over the side and was hanging off the balcony and they were able to lower me down."

Mr Reagen followed her and the couple were led to safety. Mr Reagen said: "The fire from the ground floor had spread and there were people on their verandas, but we were the only ones who jumped. Once we got to safety we were able to tell the firemen where the trapped people were."

Firefighters from Bradford and Odsal battled for two hours to put out the blaze.

The cause was today being investigated by forensic experts.

Sub-Officer Walter Smith, of Nelson Street fire station, Bradford, said: "There was a severe fire in the ground floor which was completely damaged.

"The fire severely smoke-logged the rest of the building.

"When we arrived there were people at the windows. They couldn't get out because the single staircase leading to the ground floor was smoke-logged."

A West Yorkshire Ambulance spokesman confirmed that one person was taken to BRI following the fire.

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