By Julie Armstrong and Meg Jorsh

Last updated 11:12, Saturday, 28 June 2008

A war veteran kicked down his neighbour’s back door to save him from a Carlisle kitchen fire.

Kevin Grove and son Lee

Warrant Officer Kevin Grove, 36, feared for the man’s life when he saw smoke coming from his bedroom window on Ridgemount Road, Harraby.

He called the fire service at 11.50am yesterday, then tried to enter the house but could not find the neighbour.

Ten minutes later, firefighters climbed through an open window and found the unconscious man on his kitchen floor.

Kevin, who recently returned from service in Iraq, added: “It was the time of day when the street is really quiet, so who knows how long he could have been there?”

The man, in his early 50s, had been overcome by smoke from a fire in his grill pan.

Firefighters carried him to safety and paramedics gave him oxygen.

Kevin’s proud 11-year-old son Lee said: “He’s very brave”.

The casualty is set to make a full recovery.

George Sansom, a watch manager at Carlisle, said: “This is a perfect example of how a smoke detector in working order can save lives.”

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service carry out free home safety visits to fit smoke alarms.

Call free on 0800 358 4777.