THE family of a woman rescued from a blazing house in Cardigan have thanked the two men who risked their own lives to save her.

Margaret Hutchinson was pulled out of the burning property at Ridgeway by neighbours Neil Baxter and Jamie Lee Parker after the fire broke out on Sunday evening (March 31).

Margaret’s son Jason said he and the rest of the family cannot thank them enough and has called them “heroes” for saving his mum’s life.

“My mother was in the house and my dad was out at the time,” said Jason.

“When he came back and opened the door he was engulfed with smoke and flames. The two neighbours came running over and both risked their lives to go into the house to get mum out.

“I think Neil’s foot caught my mum and that is how they found her and carried her out. She would not be here now if it was not for these two.

“As a family, we are truly grateful. My mum is in the burns unit at Morriston Hospital but hopefully she is on the road to recovery. She has said that she would like to thank the two lads from the bottom of her heart. She owes her life to them.

“My dad John, my brothers Michael, Anthony and Mark cannot thank them enough,” added Jason.

"We would also like to thank everyone for their kind messages ."

Mr Baxter said he was making tea for Mothering Sunday when the alarm was raised and he dashed across to help, along with Mr Parker.

“John was outside but we did not realise at first Margaret was still inside,” said Mr Baxter, who works at E and M Motor Factors.

“We soaked our clothes from the hose outside and opened the back door and were hit by the heat and a wall of black smoke. You could not see a thing it was so thick and choking.

“We came out and then went back in and tried to keep lower down but could still not see a thing. I ended up kicking Margaret - if I had not done that I would never have found her. I grabbed her and pulled her out – there was no way I was going to leave her.

“I almost fell over and Jamie grabbed me and we managed to get out and tried to make her comfortable. You could hear things popping with the heat and the windows blew out before the fire service arrived.

“Then someone said what about the dog but there was no way anyone could go back in. When the fire service arrived and brought the dog out safely I was crying because I felt guilty about not going back in to get it. The living room door had been shut and that’s what saved the dog.

“I went back in afterwards to where I found Margaret. The door frame was melted and she would not have survived. The house was gutted.

“There is no way we would not have gone in there to help – it’s just one of those things and you would not want anyone to go through that. I am just glad she’s okay and hopes she makes a full recovery.”