brave rescuers have spoken of their desperate struggle to save an elderly woman trapped by fire.

Jackie Haywood, 70, perished in the fire, at her Sutton Road home, on Thursday evening – despite the efforts of neighbour John Banham and teenagers Robert Heathcote and Luke Milton.

A woman living with Mrs Haywood alerted next-door neighbours Kristine McCullam and Mr Banham.

Without hesitation, Mr Banham, Robert and his friend, Luke, went into the burning building, in search of its elderly occupant.

Luke said: “The woman was absolutely distraught when she banged on the door.

“Rob and I just ran straight in and up the stairs shouting,‘where are you?’ “There were quite a lot of flames and the smoke was thick and black and we couldn’t see a thing.”

Luke, Mrs McCullam’s nephew, lives with her and Mr Banham in Sutton Road. Robert, of Brightwell Avenue, Westcliff was visiting when the fire broke out.

Mrs McCullam, 59, said the two lads had risked their lives trying to reach Mrs Haywood.

She added: “They knew she was bedridden and had to be upstairs in bed, so they ran up the stairs.”

Her partner, Mr Banham, 63, also spoke of the vain efforts to reach Mrs Haywood.

He said: “I could hear her crying for help, but I couldn’t get anywhere near her in her bed.

“Then we smashed the front window to try to get her out that way.”

With fire crews on the way, the 18-year-olds were urged to leave the house by Mr Banham.

They later needed hospital treatment for the effects of smoke inhalation.

Mr Banham was checked by paramedics at the scene, but did not need to go to hospital.

The woman who first raised the alarm was treated for burns on her hands.

Firefighters were called to the house at about 5.30pm, but were unable to reach Mrs Haywood in time to save her.

Assistant divisional officer Eddie Brennan, fire investigation officer at the scene, had words both of praise and caution for the boys.

He said: “It was a very brave thing to do, but it is not something we would recommend.

“People need to wait for the trained and equipped firefighters to arrive.

“Think what we would talking about now, if the boys had got trapped upstairs.

“The initial indications of our investigation seem to show the fire was started accidentally by smoking materials.”

Daughter-in-law Christine Haywood, 52, of Shoebury, said the family had been left devastated by the loss.

She added: “We’re all very upset and shocked.

“She was a really caring woman and she always treated me like her daughter.

“We’re going to miss her so much.”