A BRAVE seven-year-old girl has been hailed a hero after helping to save an elderly neighbour from a house fire.

Quick-thinking Lucy Heyes knew something was wrong when she could smell smoke and heard a beeping noise as she played in her room, so she raised the alarm to her mum Katy Anderson and her partner Jonny Steen.

The couple, who were getting ready for bed on the opposite side of the house, ran outside to investigate shortly after 11pm on Friday and saw plumes of smoke billowing from the terrace house next door.

Ms Anderson, aged 28, and Mr Steen, aged 29, helped 88-year-old Joyce Forrest out of the house while they waited for fire fighters from Bolton North to arrive.

Another neighbour, who wished not to be named, used his own fire extinguisher to try and control the flames, which started at an electric fireplace.

Brave Lucy, who attends Eagley Juniors, stayed calm throughout the Boxing Day ordeal, even looking after her younger sister Libby, aged three, and two-week-old baby brother Lewis.

Ms Anderson, of Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, said: “If it wasn’t for Lucy I really don’t think that things would have turned out as well as they did, because Jonny and I didn’t hear or smell a thing from our room.

“When we went downstairs we couldn’t believe how thick the smoke was. It was really scary and I could see the fire getting bigger and bigger.

“We didn’t even think twice about getting the lady out. I guess it was instinct. We carried her into our house and looked after her before the ambulance arrived.

“Lucy wouldn’t normally have been up at that time, but it was Boxing Day and the kids were really excited about their presents. It's a good thing she was really.

“Lucy is so modest. I don’t think she realises just how brave she has beem. She is seven going on 14 – really bright and mature. I’m really proud of her.”

Lucy added: “I was sat in the corner of my room playing on my iPad and I smelled a lot of smoke. Then I heard a beeping sound from the fire alarm so I told mum.

“Then I looked after my brother and sister while mum and Jonny helped the lady. When I looked out the window a fireman put his thumbs up to me to say well done."

Crew manager Gary Charnock from Bolton North said: “We were called to Darwen Road at about 11.06pm to a house fire which started where the electric fireplace was. An elderly lady was carried out safely to a neighbour’s house thanks to a brave little girl who raised the alarm.”