A MAN is on the mend after being pulled from a smoke-filled room above a Winsford pub in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A tumble-dryer in The Old Star pub in Swanlow Lane caught fire around 5.30am on Saturday, August 11 – with one man escaping from a room above the pub but another trapped inside.

Stan Winston was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, after Mark Bland – who raised the alarm and tried to save his neighbour – raised the alarm.

READ >>> Firefighters rescue man from window of Old Star pub

The pub and lounge is likely to remain closed for at least another week as a result of heavy water damage, although the fire damage upstairs could lead to a longer closure.

Mike Welch’s dad Ernie is the pub’s popular landlord.

Mike said: “The biggest relief for us is that the two chaps upstairs were ok.

“My dad has been to see Stan in hospital and he was sat up talking with an oxygen mask on.

“Mark heard the fire alarm going off and tried to get Stan out with him but couldn’t get to his room, so told him to stay low to the ground and went downstairs to get help.

“The fire service were brilliant – they arrived in about seven minutes and got Stan out.

“They were saying that five or six minutes more and it could have been a lot more serious for Stan and for the building itself.”

Ernie’s office was among the rooms scorched by the blaze, while the best part of 9,000 gallons were used as six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire.

The water damage to the ground floor lounge comes just weeks after an extensive renovation was completed.

Mike said: “The whole of upstairs is a write off. It’s going to be a big job to get it back to how it was, but until we can get all the checks done we are in limbo.

“It’s Dad’s life and soul – people know how much time he puts into it and more of a vocation than a job.

"He has been overwhelmed by the response from the community. People have been offering to help in any way they can which is great.”