Determined Percy Bashford didn't want to give up on his trusty Reliant Robin just because of a few flames.

He stayed behind the wheel of the car until four teenagers spotted the danger and pulled him to safety.

Mr Bashford, 77, had just set off with his wife Dorothy, 73, from their home in Grover Avenue, Lancing, at 3pm yesterday when they spotted the four lads.

The group, heading for Boundstone College, pointed at the three-wheeler and shouted at him to stop.

Spencer Vine, 16, said: "I saw this Reliant Robin coming down the road with lots of smoke coming out from under the car and saw it was on fire.

"The driver was very, very panicky and very stubborn. We shouted at him and his wife jumped out, but he stayed in the car.

"I grabbed his arm and yanked him out. He wouldn't get out of the car so we yanked him out and just after that the car blew up."

Spencer was helped by friends Tim Goldstraw, 16, Adam Bayliss, 17, and John Reynolds, 16.

Mr Bashford, who has owned the Reliant for five years, said: "They got hold of me and said, 'Get out! Get out! It's on fire!'.

"It was only when I got out that I saw it was quite on fire. I wasn't particularly concerned at that time, but I am now. The car was still going along - if they hadn't stopped me I would have gone on until it collapsed."

Mr Bashford said he was not one to worry about minor blazes.

He said: "I just didn't feel frightened. I survived the Second World War in Burma and the Korean War after that without a scratch and now I have got out of this as well. It's just luck, sheer luck."

Mr Bashford said he had put by a £10 reward for the boys and would look out for them.