A BRAVE North-East soldier has been praised for saving the life of a four-week-old boy trapped in a burning flat.

Private Duncan Smith, who is based at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, has been hailed a hero after he scrambled 25ft up a ladder to pull the baby to safety from the arms of his terrified mother.

The rescue took place after Pte Smith and his colleagues from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment were called to a fire at an apartment block in Kirkby, Liverpool.

The soldiers leapt into their Green Goddess and took less than ten minutes to arrive at the scene, where they saw Jay Turner's mother, Kelly, screaming for help from the window of their first-floor flat.

After realising that the blaze was blocking the exit, Pte Smith, 24, climbed the ladder and tucked the child into his jacket before scrambling to safety.

A colleague then climbed the ladder to help 20-year-old Ms Turner to safety. The rescue was Pte Smith's first major incident and despite his bravery he was keen to play down his actions.

He said: "All we've done up to now are car fires. When I saw Kelly and the baby at the window my heart skipped a beat. It is a really satisfying feeling to have helped save them.

"I have a two-year-old son so I know what it means. I'm not a hero. It was only when everyone was safe that it hit home how dangerous a situation it was."

But Ms Turner said that if it was not for the bravery of Pte Smith and his colleagues they would probably not have survived. She said: "Duncan told me it was OK because he was a dad and I passed Jay to him.

"Duncan was so brave - it was obvious he wasn't thinking of himself. The smoke was so thick I couldn't see a thing. But he was very tender with the baby and I am so grateful.

"Jay and I owe our lives to him and his brave colleagues. I can't thank them enough."