A HERO firefighter who suffered horrific injuries trying to rescue a family from their burning home has proposed to his partner from his hospital bed.

Steven Morris was engulfed in a fireball as he tried to drag Hameeda Begum to safety during a suspected arson attack at Little Holme Walk in Great Lever, Bolton.

He suffered 50 per cent burns to his lower back and legs and serious burns to his hands.

The 38-year-old, who is currently recovering in a specialist burns unit at Wythenshawe Hospital, popped the question when partner Pauline Phipps, 45, visited with her father.

But it wasn't a straightforward proposal.

Pauline said: "He asked my dad for his permission and they started bartering. They struck a deal at two goats and two sheep - so that's what I'm worth.

"He then asked me and to be honest I had to ask him if he was serious - I'd been hinting at it for seven years and he'd never asked in the past.

"I asked him how many different kinds of drugs he was on and whether they were hallucinogenic. He said he was on 12, so I seized my chance and said yes."

Pauline said she then asked Steven for the reasons behind his proposal.

"He said that he had realised that life was for living and in the past he had put off stuff that he shouldn't have. He said he knew I was the best girlfriend he would ever have - I agreed with him on that."

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Steven is currently in the middle of a complex recovery. One of his hands is in a pouch and it would appear that he will have to have his fingers shortened.

Pauline added that he had up and down days but was now thinking of the future.

"If you'd have said to me when he had the accident that we'd be engaged 11 weeks later I would have been stunned. But it's not just the marriage - he's also looking forward to getting back into work - maybe in some kind of fire prevention role. I think it illustrates how strong he is."

No date has yet been set but Pauline has her eye on the end of next year.

"Of course it's going to be the biggest wedding ever," she said. "We have so many people to thank for all their support and it should be the wedding to end all weddings."

Hameeda Begum, 71, died in the explosion.

The blaze also claimed the life of Mrs Begum's five-year-old granddaughter, Alana Mian, who died later in hospital.

A man, aged 22, and a 12-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of arson and bailed until 24 September.

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