An elderly man has been airlifted to hospital after his bungalow caught fire yesterday.

The bungalow at Bridge End, Egremont caught fire at around 2pm.

A resident – named locally as Martin McCartney is in a critical condition following the blaze.

Neighbour Maureen Muir, who lives opposite, said she could hear explosions and added the flames appeared to be coming from the kitchen.

As she watched the drama unfold, emergency services attended and the North West Air Ambulance landed on the Egremont RL club pitch.

She was talking to the man through the open door, which has since been boarded up. "I was trying to talk him out," she said.

Fellow neighbour Kenneth Parry said: "You see it on television but you don't expect to see it in real life."

Michael Sharkey, who also lives on the estate said – "He's had a rough ride when you see the house – they've just finished doing it up next door."

Mr McCartney is believed to be in the Royal Preston Hospital burns unit.