TWO brave restaurant workers have been hailed heroes after rescuing an elderly neighbour who collapsed in his smoke-filled flat.

Nazrul Miah and Heron Miah pulled 61-year-old John Maddock to safety from his first-floor home after spotting smoke caused by a frying pan.

Nazrul Miah, 34, manager of the Purbani Restaurant and Takeaway in Botley High Street, said he could hear his neighbour's cry for help from the door of the flat in Winchester Street, but couldn't see him because of the smoke.

"It was thick, black smoke and you could smell burning oil from outside," said Nazrul.

"We went up to the door and shouted to see if John was in there when we heard him shout 'Get me out'."

They smashed the bottom panel of the front door to get into the kitchen of the flat and headed for the lounge where Mr Maddock had collapsed on the floor.

After the men carried him down the stairs to safety, the fire crews arrived and gave him oxygen until the ambulance arrived.

"He was having trouble breathing and he has health problems already, but he managed to give us a thumbs-up as they put him the ambulance," said Nazrul.

"Everyone in Botley knows John and we are just glad he is going to be all right."

Heron Miah, 31, who works in the kitchen of the restaurant, said: "Anyone would have done it. We were just there."

Although the frying pan didn't catch fire, it took fire crews 45 minutes to clear the flat of the deadly smoke.

Sub Officer Bob Biggs, of Botley Fire Station, said the two men were brave to rescue Mr Maddock.

"If they had not acted as quickly as they did, he wouldn't have made it out alive as the pan may have caught fire given another five minutes," he said.

Mr Maddock was featured in the Daily Echo's weekly pub feature, The Watering Hole, in December as 'regular of the week' at his local pub The Dolphin.

Deputy manager Clive Wearie said: "John's been coming here for years. He's very popular, he likes his Carlsberg and his whisky and lemonades, and if you ever want to know anything about football or horse racing then he's your man."

Mr Maddock was taken to Southampton General Hospital where he was treated in intensive care for smoke inhalation.

Mr Wearie added: "We are in touch with the hospital and they said he is now out of intensive care and they are going to keep him on a ward for a few more days under observation."