Toddler Ehren Cooper, three, has been hailed a hero after spotting flames at the window of a flat.

Ehren, three, and his mum Clare were returning from the school run when he saw something red at the window of Ian Mullins’s flat in Springfield Road, Rowde.

Mrs Cooper said: “He just looked up then said to me ‘what is that red in the window’. I didn’t have my mobile phone so we went to a house nearby and got them to ring 999. I’m very proud of him.”

Ehren’s actions ensured the alarm was quickly raised and firefighters were able to get to the blaze under control within minutes of it being reported last Wednesday.

Mr Mullins lost nearly all of his possessions in the fire, but other flats in the small block were saved from serious damage.

Mr Mullins said: “I want to thank the fire service, who were wonderful, and everyone else who helped.”

He was still too upset to talk in detail about the fire, which broke out just before 9am, when he was at work.

A friend said: “The real hero of this is the little boy. If it had not been for him spotting the fire, it would have been much worse.

“Everyone living nearby has been really fantastic and has done everything they can to help. There has been a real community spirit.”

Ehren, who has an elder brother and sister, was pleased with the role he played. Now he regularly looks up at the flat window when he passes by, to make sure everything is fine.

David Harford, a resident of the same block as Mr Mullins, said he had smelled smoke that morning. He said: “When I opened my door, there was smoke coming out of the flat. I went downstairs and a passer-by said he had rung the fire brigade.

“I wasn’t able to go back inside after that, as the smoke was too thick.

“The flat where the fire started is completely gutted and the ceiling below has been badly damaged, because of the water used by the fire brigade.”

Mr Mullins returned to the flat this week, to assess the damage, but is having to stay with friends.