Two special constables who battled heat and smoke to rescue a man from a pub blaze said today: "We were just doing our jobs."

George Linley-Munro and Steve Watson spotted fumes billowing from The Globe Inn in Littlehampton and began pounding on the doors.

Once inside they wrapped wet rags around their faces to try to save unconscious lodger Robert Judd.

Mr Judd, landlady Christine Drew and barmaid Madeleine O'Rourke and were all sleeping above the pub in Duke Street Littlehampton, when the alert was raised at 1.55am on Saturday.

The officers' banging was loud enough to rouse Mrs Drew, 50, despite her having poor hearing.

She woke Mrs O'Rourke and the pair tried to free Mr Judd, who was shouting for someone to free him from his burning room.

As they struggled he lost consciousness. The two women ran downstairs through dense smoke to call the fire brigade and set off the burglar alarm.

Mrs O'Rourke said: "We wet a T-shirt and we put it around my head and I tried to go up again but couldn't. It was so hot and the smoke had got worse."

Mrs Drew said: "Then two police officers came in and they tried to get upstairs but the smoke was so intense. They tried their best and went up a couple of times"

Firefighters arrived and, using breathing apparatus, were able to enter the building and rescue Mr Judd.

He was taken to Worthing Hospital where he regained consciousness and was treated for the effects of smoke. His condition was last night said to be improving.

Mrs Drew was treated with oxygen at the scene. Special Constable Watson was also taken to Worthing Hospital and treated after breathing in smoke.

It is believed the fire started after a cigarette was discarded in a bin in Mr Judd's bedroom, which was destroyed by the blaze.

Mrs Drew, who opened for business as usual on Saturday morning, said: "We're very lucky to be alive."

Mr Linley-Munro said: "We were just doing our job.

"It is a great advertisement for the specials as many people think we don't do a lot, but here it goes to show that we also save lives."

The 21-year-old, who works for the Inland Revenue in Durrington, Worthing, said he hoped to become a regular officer in the Sussex force.

Mr Watson, 25, who also hopes to join the regulars, said: "We were in the right place at the right time. As far as we were concerned we were just doing our job."