An 81-year-old deaf woman was stopped from walking straight into a blazing inferno in her maisonette home by a passing stranger.

Firefighters hailed Paul Vandermark, 32, a hero after he risked his life to save the woman who was unaware of the fire raging in her living room at Woburn Court, Wellesley Road, Croydon.

He was passing the home with his wife and children at 7.20pm on Sunday, November 1, when they saw smoke billowing from a window.

As he stepped out of the car to get a closer look, he could see the whole living room was ablaze.

Mr Vandermark, from Loughton, said: "We had just been to have a family portrait taken in Croydon and were on our way home after having a pizza with friends when my wife spotted the smoke.

"At first I thought the maisonette was a block of flats so ran around to the door to let the occupant know there was a fire in his flat. But unbeknown to me it was the other maisonette that was on fire.

"I was told there was an elderly lady who lived there, so I immediately started banging on the door and yelling to let her know what was happening, but got no response."

Mr Vandermark was not content to leave it there but kicked in the front door and ran upstairs where he found the dazed woman - who has not been named - just about to walk into her flame-filled living room.

He said: "I didn't really think about what I was doing, I tried to talk to the woman but got no response so I thought she was disorientated and shocked. I didn't know she was deaf.

"I couldn't carry her out so had to call for help. She was taken to hospital where she was treated for the effects of smoke, but I believe she is going to be all right."

Mr Vandermark was treated at Mayday Hospital for a badly cut ear.

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