A FIREMAN broke down as he told a court how he was helpless to act when teenager Richard Davies was trapped in a fire.

Adrian Speke was at home off Boundary Lane watching the gang of youths on the Ash Track when he realised one of the bikes had caught fire.

'These kids were running towards my house and I just thought 'oh god, no!' I went outside and I was met by these youngsters, screaming.'

Mr Speke ran to the Ash Track and came across Gavin Roebuck, to whom he administered first aid.

'I checked him over and put him in the recovery position. He started breathing easier almost straight away and he called out the name 'Richard'.

'It was then I realised that somebody else was trapped in the fire under another motorbike. There was a lot of confusion and people were crying.' Mr Speke continued: 'I went towards the fire but I just couldn't do a thing. I knew immediately that I was in an impossible situation.

'I got down on the ground to see if there was a way I could get in there to him, but I couldn't. Through the flames I could see a figure. He was lying face down on the ground.'

Mr Speke said all he could so was move Gavin away from the fire and wait for the emergency services.

Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said Mr Speke's actions prevented the incident from turning into a double tragedy.

'Gavin was seriously injured and I have no doubt that Mr Speke's actions were crucial. If he hadn't done what he did then there could have been a second fatality on that tragic day.

'This has clearly been a traumatic experience for him, but he followed his instincts as a fireman and saved a life.'