A LANDLORD rescued his daughter and two grandchildren from a fire at his pub.

Terry Pudd opened the door to the main bar of the Red Lion, in Coxhoe, County Durham, at 10am on Saturday, and saw the flames.

His first thought was to shut the door and get daughter Karen and her children, Konner, eight, and five-year-old Amber out.

He said: "Getting my family out had to be my priority. I just ran upstairs shouting at them to get out quickly.

"The pub can be rebuilt, but you cannot rebuild kids."

Mr Pudd then went back into the pub to try to tackle the flames, but was overcome by smoke and heat and was forced back outside to wait for firefighters.

The fire crew put the fire out while Mr Pudd was treated for smoke inhalation.

District manager Steve Owers, who is based at Bishop Auckland Fire Station, said: "It was undoubtedly a lucky escape and Mr Pudd did the right thing by getting his family out. But he went back in when the fire had created a lot of smoke and that can be a killer."

The fire destroyed pub seats, melted beer taps and drip trays and ruined the carpet, cigarette machine and fruit machine.

The heat was so intense three bottles exploded and the till melted.

An investigation has concluded it was started accidentally by a discarded cigarette.

Mr Pudd has only been running the Red Lion for five weeks and has invested £20,000 in the business.

He has refurbished the bar and was hoping to open the lounge as a restaurant.

But for the past two days, he has endured an agonising wait to find out if he is insured.

He said: "It is such a shame because it was a lovely little pub and it is took me a year to find it. I hope I am insured, but I will have wait until I speak to the company until I know for sure."