On Saturday 7 May at around 1.30am a combination of University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University students saw smoke coming from a neighbour’s house on Teversal Avenue, Radford. A small fire had started in the kitchen of the elderly couple and the woman living there had been alerted by the smoke alarm, however her bed-ridden husband was still inside.

The students ran into the kitchen and turned off the stove, removed the pan and opened all the windows to let out the smoke. They stayed with the couple until the fire service arrived to make the house safe and complete a ‘safe and well’ check on the home.

On Friday 27 May, fire crews returned to thank the students and recognise their actions. Crew Manager of Highfields Fire Station, Paul Snowden, said: “We could have been dealing with a much more serious incident had it not been for the quick thinking of these young people who rushed in to help their neighbours.

“If you face a fire in your home our advice is to get out, stay and call 999 but we wanted to come back to recognise the actions of these students who stepped up to help when they were needed.

“Smoke alarms helped raise the alarm so that the elderly lady was able to get help. It is a reminder that smoke alarms save lives, and you should test them regularly.”