Ivan Lucas rushed into a burning building without waiting to put on his breathing apparatus after spotting the helpless resident.

Gulping air from an open window, he searched a smoke-logged first floor room, tracked down the casualty and brought her to safety.

Senior officers have praised his quick thinking and say his actions saved a life.

Smoke is a big killer in housefires

While colleagues were occupied tackling a fire in a ground floor flat in Leicester, Mr Lucas spotted someone in trouble.

A woman had appeared at a first floor window, clearly in distress and threatened by choking smoke.

Mr Lucas did not stop to climb into the cumbersome breathing apparatus.

He said: "I got the ladder, pitched the ladder, smashed the window, took a deep breath went inside the window.

"I couldn't find the casualty the first time, she'd disappeared from view.

"So I came back to the window, took another deep breath, went back to where I had last seen her and managed to find her."

The woman made a full recovery.

Station officer Andy Kirk said: "It's not often we would work without breathing apparatus but in this instance he had to do it because she wouldn't have been here today if he hadn't been as brave as he was."

The award will be announced in the autumn.