A NEIGHBOUR dragged a disabled man to safety during a fire at a block of flats.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze, in Hawthorne Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle, at about 5.45pm this evening.

The third floor of a four story block of flats, called Maytree House, was badly damaged in the fire.

A spokesman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Brigade said: "The occupier, a male who was disabled, was recued from the hallway by a neighbour, who dragged him through the corridor."

The man was taken by ambulance to Newcastle General Hospital for smoke inhalation.

The fire service brought the incident under control by about 6pm.