A 999 operator who gave lifesaving instructions to residents trapped in their homes after an arson attack has been praised by the people she helped save.

Pam Atkinson was trapped in her first-floor flat in Manchester Road, Burnden, last Friday night after arsonists set fire to paper against a gas meter box on the ground floor.

Two other residents were also trapped in a second-floor flat as smoke billowed up the hallway of the converted terraced house.

Mrs Atkinson rang 999 and spoke to fire brigade officer Alison Hunt, who kept her calm and told her what to do while firefighters from Farnworth and Bolton raced to the flat.

Within minutes, firefighters put out the blaze and rescued the trio from their flats.

Mrs Atkinson suffered smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene by paramedics but declined hospital treatment.

Today, Mrs Atkinson and her two neighbours, Ronald Ellis and Mark Barnett, praised firefighters and the fire control operator who helped save their lives.

Mrs Atkinson, aged 45, said: "I had just come back from work at night and was talking to my sister-in-law on the telephone when I heard a loud bang.

"I saw smoke coming up the stairs. I did not know what had caused it but I just rang 999 immediately.

"My neighbour banged on my door and told me there was smoke coming up the stairs and I told him to get into his flat and shut the door.

"The fire control room operator helped me all the time, asking me if I was all right and telling to get on the floor and put a draft excluder on the bottom of the door.

"She told me to go in the bedroom and make myself known to firefighters, which I did.

"Thick grey smoke was coming into my flat then and I was scared.

"I am grateful to the firefighters and fire control operator for helping to save my life."

Neighbour Mr Ellis said: "I was with my mate when I saw smoke coming from downstairs.

"I knocked on Pams door but she told me to get back. It was quite a frightening experience."

Miss Hunt, crew command control operator, who lives in Bolton, said: "When I took the call, I could hear smoke alarms in the background and I knew the first thing to do was calm the woman down.

"She was frightened so I tried to strike up a relationship with her to keep her talking on the phone.

"She could not get out of the flat so I told her to put draft excluders at the bottom of the door and to lie on the floor.

"I was on the phone until the firefighters arrived.

"It makes the job all worthwhile when people appreciate what you do."