A YOUNG father ran into a burning block of flats in a brave attempt to rescue his sleeping neighbours.

Justin Parcell, 20, of Roding Close, Bettws, Newport, was dozing in front of the TV when fire broke out in a ground floor flat at 1.45am on Saturday.

Mr Parcell, who lives on the first floor of the council-built flats with his baby son Ryan, heard shouting and screaming from the property below.

On opening his front door to investigate he was confronted by a wall of black smoke in the hallway outside his flat.

Immediately he ran upstairs and got his mother, Laura Mills, 36, out safely, kicking open the door to her flat in the process.

Mr Parcell then dashed into his flat to collect Ryan, 17 months, who was asleep in his cot.

The full-time dad rushed back into the blazing building after realising that more tenants were inside, still fast asleep.

Mr Parcell climbed the smoke-filled staircase to bang on the doors of his slumbering neighbours.

As the flames grew stronger, Mrs Mills feared for her son's life and shouted: The flats are going to go up!'.

After weighing up his options, Mr Parcell jumped from a first-floor balcony, to the concrete below., hurting his ankles.

He limped around the corner to join his mother and son just in time to see the fire brigade arriving.

After tackling the blaze, firefighters managed to walk the remaining five tenants from the two flats Mr Parcell had tried to evacuate, down the stairs and to safety.

They were later given oxygen treatment for smoke inhalation.

Mr Parcell said he did not see his actions as brave.

"The second I saw the smoke I knew I had to do something," he said.

"I knew there were old people and I was worried they might not wake up.

"The main thing was that everyone got out safely."

The flat where the fire started was occupied by David Marchant, 43, and a female friend. The pair escaped unhurt.

Mr Marchant was a temporary guest at the property in Roding Close which belongs to his sister, Julie Marchant, 37, who lives there with her son Callum, 11.

Mrs Marchant and her son were said to be on holiday in Somerset at the time.

South Wales Fire Service and police have launched an investigation.