TWO policemen were praised by firefighters for saving the life of a young woman.

The 25-year-old had put a pan on the oven, but then fell asleep as the burning oil caught fire at her terraced home on Gilbert Grove, Walpole, Crosland Moor.

The two officers were at a house nearby on an inquiry and spotted the flames at 4.30am today.

They rushed to help and managed to find the woman in the smoke-filled room and led her to safety.

They then managed to get the burning pan outside too.

Firefighters quickly doused the fire which left the kitchen badly damaged.

Huddersfield fire station watch manager Andy Blackburn said: "The officers were in the right place at the right time, but I can't praise their observational skills highly enough.

"They then reacted very quickly to rescue the lady. If they had not been there, the outcome could have been far more serious, as smoke is a killer."

The woman was given oxygen at the scene and did not need to go to hospital.