A 30-stone Southampton man who thought he was going to die after becoming trapped in his bedroom has paid tribute to the youth who saved him.

Shane Furmedge, 40, fell into a gap between his bed and the wall and became stuck. As his breathing deteriorated, he became weaker and weaker.

Shane's only hope of rescue was tapping on the window of his ground floor flat, in Orchard Lane, Southampton, to alert attention.

He believes he was banging for an hour before 14-year-old Sam Cook, his neighbour, peered into the room.

Shane persuaded the teenager to climb over the balcony, edge past his fierce American bulldog, Dempsey, and try to free him.

Sam wrestled with the kingsize mattress, but still could not release Shane, so left and returned with police officers and an ambulance crew.

Eventually, they managed to free Shane, who was taken to Southampton General Hospital where he made a full recovery.

"Had Sam not noticed my tapping I would eventually have fallen right into the gap and become wedged," said Shane.

"I wouldn't have been able to attract attention, I wouldn't have been able to breathe and eventually I would have suffocated to death.

"He's my hero. Most young people wouldn't have made that much effort, or might have laughed at me, but he didn't. The more I think about it, the more grateful I am."

Sam, a pupil at St George's Catholic School, in Southampton, played down the rescue.

"It was just lucky that I was walking past from my mate's house at the time," he said. "The dog looked fierce but he's not really, and he didn't do anything. I just called a policeman who I saw walking past."

However, he did add that his parents were proud and said he was pleased to see Shane up and about once more.