A MAN was rescued from his flat after a smouldering cigarette set fire to his bed.

The 35-year-old was semi-conscious as he was hauled to safety by two firefighters.

Smoke had filled the one-bedroom ground floor flat in Manor Road, Westcliff, when firefighters arrived at around 7.40am yesterday.

Once outside, the man was given oxygen by para- medics before being taken to Southend Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Gary Bishop, station officer at Southend, said the man had a very lucky escape.

He said: "When we brought him out he was semi-conscious.

"One of the other residents was leaving to go to work when he saw smoke coming under the door and called us.

"The mattress was burning and it was more than likely caused by smoking.

"The man was in bed at the time.

"He was very lucky to escape unhurt."

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "Apparently a middle-aged man from next door saw the smoke and rushed in and banged on his door.

"He went in with a fire extinguisher."

The fire and smoke damage was contained to the one flat in the three-storey converted house.

The other five flats and their residents were unaffected.

Three fire crews attended and the fire was out within 20 minutes.

The man's flat had a smoke alarm, but it had been removed from the ceiling.

Although the main stairway of the house has smoke alarms they did not go off.

Top floor resident Brian Thompson, who lives with his partner and 16-month-old daughter, said: "The alarms should've gone off.

"We have a smoke alarm, but the main one ought to be working.

"This could've been much worse."