A WORCESTER milkman is being hailed a hero by a grateful family who managed to escape a fire at their home.

Gina Hunt, who was fast asleep at the time, says milkman Nick Monkton saved their lives by dowsing the blaze.

He was on his rounds when he spotted flames in the living room of their Tolladine Road house.

Fire crews from Worcester's red watch were scrambled to the scene, but Mr Monkton had already put the fire out.

The father-of-two, of Birch Avenue, Tolladine, said when he first saw the flames around 6.30am last Friday he was not sure whether he had mistakenly spotted an artificial fire.

"I saw the flames halfway up the window and went to investigate," he said.

"But I realised something really was on fire so banged on the door to wake everyone inside.

Flames licking bottom of curtains

"I then rang the fire brigade on my mobile. When Mrs Hunt opened the door I went into the living room and threw water over the fire which was in a waste paper bin."

Mrs Hunt - who was asleep in the house with her husband David, aged 65, and his 83-year-old mother - said she was convinced the milkman's actions had come just in time, saying the heat from the smouldering bin had burnt its way through the floorboards.

"The first I knew about it was when I heard a hammering at the front door," said the 58-year-old.

"The flames were just licking the bottom of the curtains so it would not have been much longer before the fire had spread and my family could have been in serious danger.

"I wouldn't like to think what could have happened if our milkman hadn't done what he did.

"He was brilliant and his actions saved all three of us."

Earlier this year, the 32-year-old milkman raised the alarm when he spotted an elderly man collapsed on the floor of his home in St John's.

Spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade, Alec Mackie, said Mr Monkton had left the scene before firefighters arrived.

"The Brigade would like to thank him as I'm sure would the family," said Mr Mackie.

"We believe the fire was started by a cigarette that was not properly stubbed out. People should ensure they fully extinguish their cigarettes."