AN ELDERLY wife dragged her husband from a burning flat in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Kate McGrath

AN ELDERLY wife dragged her husband from a burning flat in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The woman, named locally as Yvonne Web, dashed to her husband Ken's aid at around 3am as flames engulfed the bedroom.

Neighbours woke to screaming and feared the couple, who are believed to be in their 70s, had been killed.

Firefighter Gary Fry said they found the pair in the kitchen as the inferno ripped through the entire top floor of the terrace house in Gosford Way.

He added: “The fire was very, very severe. Without a doubt, she saved his life. If she hadn't have been there then I think he would have died.

“The elderly lady was alerted by her smoke alarm - there was one upstairs and one downstairs and they both activated. She then went into her husband's room - who is very frail - and managed to drag him down the stairs.”

Mr Fry, watch manager at Felixstowe fire station, believes the fire started from a TV in the husband's bedroom after he fell asleep.

Seventeen firefighters from Ipswich and Felixstowe spent three hours bringing the blaze under control.

The victims were conscious and breathing, but were taken to Ipswich Hospital by paramedics, where they were recovering over the weekend.

- For the full story buy today's paper and check later web editions for updates.