Postman is a fire hero

[TrueBlueTerrier]

i AM A FIRESTARTER

A POSTMAN became an unlikely hero when he rescued an elderly woman from a fire at her home.

John Bull, who lives in Badgworth near Axbridge, was delivering letters on his round in Shapwick near Bridgwater when he heard a smoke alarm going off.

The quick-thinking postie ran round to the back of the house and spotted smoke coming from the kitchen.

John, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday, said: "The lady had been frying fish and the pan had caught fire. She moved the pan to rest it on her walking frame but then that caught fire as well.

"I picked everything up and carried it all out into the garden.

"That day I had been running late as it was the Christmas post deliveries. Usually at that time I would have been in Burtle, so I guess I was in the right place at the right time.

"The smoke alarm saved her really. I just did what anyone else would have done."

After the fire, John asked neighbours to look after the elderly woman, who is not very mobile.

John said: "It is a very friendly neighbourhood and they all made sure she was okay."

The father-of-one says the incident was one of the most unusual things to happen on his rounds, although he has had to pick up the odd drunk in Bridgwater in the early hours of the morning.

But at the end of March, John, who lives with his partner Lucy in Badgworth Lane, will be trading in his postal uniform for a policeman's. The postman used to work in the police force in Slough, but since moving to Badgworth two years ago, has been working as a postman.

John, who is father to two-year-old Isabelle, added: "I've always wanted to get back into the police force. Hopefully I will get a position in Bridgwater, seeing as I know the street layout so well.