A PENSIONER is fighting for life after being engulfed in a fireball as he filled up his petrol lawnmower INSIDE his house.

War veteran William Baines, 89, was set alight when the petrol vapours suddenly ignited.

He had been forced to keep the mower in his house in Stockport after thieves stole his previous mower from the garden shed.

Neighbours saw the fireball and called 999. Mr Baines was taken to Wythenshawe hospital, and was in a critical condition with 30 per cent burns.

Fire chiefs are trying to find out what caused the petrol vapours to ignite.

Flames

The M.E.N. understands Mr Baines was not smoking at the time, and tests have been carried out on electrical appliances at his house in Chelford Grove, Adswood.

Teenager Josh Brindley raised the alarm after seeing flames inside Mr Baines's house.

Josh, 14, who lives on nearby Baddeley Close, said: "I went round the corner to catch the bus to school and looked up and saw black smoke coming from the window. I ran back to my house and told my mum.

"He came out of the house and sat on the step and I could see he was badly burned.

"I asked if he was alright and he said `yes, yes fine'. The fire service arrived about a minute later and he collapsed.

"I've seen him a few times and he's always been in the garden tidying things up.

"People have said I'm a hero but I just hope he gets better."

Friendly

Josh's mum Liz said: "He was very badly burned.

"I've lived here for 20 years and everybody knows him because he always says hello. I just hope he's ok."

Mr Baines's next door neighbour Eleanor Pickersgill, 66, said: "It's very sad because he's such a friendly man. He was in the Navy during the war and loved doing his garden and listening to old music such as Vera Lynn and Bing Crosby."

She said Mr Baines kept his front garden immaculate and tended it most days.

A fire service spokesman said: "It appears to have been a tragic accident. We are carrying out a full investigation to find out what caused the petrol to ignite."

He warned people using petrol at home to be careful and added: "We would urge anyone who has a reason to use petrol with gardening equipment to only store minimum quantities, ensuring that they use recommended containers and store in a secure location outside the home away from any sources of ignition."