By JULIA RAVENSCROFT

THREE children were saved from their burning house after brave neighbours launched dramatic rescue attempts.

Christopher, aged three, five-year-old Dominic and six-year-old Kathleen were trapped in their Densham Avenue house on Monday evening after it became a raging inferno.

Around one hundred neighbours poured onto the street after they realised the youngsters were trapped inside as their mother Linda Russ, who had managed to escape, screamed for help.

Some residents smashed downstairs windows to let the thick smoke out while others poured buckets of water in to put out the flames.

A group of men smashed in the back door to the kitchen where the youngest child was hiding and he was passed through a window to safety.

But the other two children were trapped in a bedroom and another group of men climbed up a ladder and attempted to rescue the pair, who neighbours said were too frightened to move.

Neighbour Andy Robinson, who was one of the men who smashed in the back door, said: "The whole street were out."

Yvonne Mairs said she heard the screaming of the youngsters and ran back and forth, smashing windows and pouring water into the house.

Warrington firefighters, led by Station Officer John Melia, arrived on the scene within minutes and ran through the flames to snatch the distressed children, who were cowering under a blanket.

They were taken to Warrington Hospital but were later released and were said to be doing well, although one suffered minor burns to a leg.

Speaking in the aftermath of the blaze Mrs Russ said: "The phone rang and my three-year-old picked up my lighter and ran upstairs. I didn't know he had it and then one of my children told me the mattress was on fire.

"I tried to push the mattress down the stairs."

Mrs Russ managed to get out but could not get past the fire to rescue her children.

She said: "I would like to thank everyone who helped me. I was surprised because I don't talk to many people round here."

The family are now to be re-housed near their former home.

Firefighters are investigating the cause of the blaze.

John Melia praised the neighbours for their brave rescue attempts and commended the work of the firemen who carried out the rescue.

Mr Melia said: "We were confronted with a very dramatic scene with the amount of neighbours trying to get into the house. The heat was exceptionally severe as was damage to the structure of the building."

He said the house had no smoke alarm and warned about the dangers of not having one installed and regularly tested.

For free fire alarm fittings and a fire plan call Community Fire Safety Office on 639129.