THE SOUTHAMPTON mum and baby rescued after a blaze at their city home are today caught up in a propaganda war over the bitter firefighters' strike.

Little Leo Challoner hit front page headlines when he was carried to safety from his city home by makeshift Royal Navy firefighter Amy Stubbs.

But today mum Karen was the focus of the media barons backing the strike action when she declared she supported the call by firefighters for a huge pay rise.

Karen and three-month-old Leo were trapped in her flat in Bransbury Close Lordswood, after an arsonist set fire to carpet in the hallway.

A Royal Navy Green Goddess crew and firefighters who broke their strike put out the flames and rescued Mrs Challoner and Leo along with her three daughters Taylor-Jane, four, Natasha, 13, and Gemma, 14.

"The Royal Navy did a brilliant job and we are very grateful to them," said Mrs Challoner today. "But the firefighters left their strike to help us and I think they should get the 40 per cent pay rise, they deserve it.''

And she added: "It was the Navy that saved my baby, but I support both the Navy and the firefighters really. I am not on anyone's side."

The mother-of-four first knew the fire had started outside her door when she opened it to be confronted by choking smoke.

"I thought 'oh God where is the fire, are we going to get burned alive, are my children going to be safe?','' she said.

Leo was then carried to safety by Royal Navy firefighter Amy Stubbs, 21, who earns £13,000 a year serving aboard HMS Manchester.

Among the professional firefighters to leave the picket line to rush to the blaze was Tony Brown who said: "As we arrived residents were clapping and cheering but we were just getting on with the job.

"As we were going in the Royal Navy team were standing outside. We were the first ones in. The truth was the building was not on fire, the only danger to the public was the smoke, which is a great danger."