A BRAVE New Year's Eve reveller today told how he took time out from a party in Ipswich to tackle a fire.Andrew McMahon was at his brother's house in Sandpiper Road when a stray firework sparked a blaze in a hedge in next door's garden.

Neil Puffett

A BRAVE New Year's Eve reveller today told how he took time out from a party in Ipswich to tackle a fire.

Andrew McMahon was at his brother's house in Sandpiper Road when a stray firework sparked a blaze in a hedge in next door's garden.

With the flames threatening to spread, the 30-year-old scaled a fence, grabbed a hose and began tackling the fire.

The blaze was out by the time fire crews arrived a few minutes later.

Mr McMahon, of Laurelhayes, said: “Without thinking, I jumped over the fence to see if anybody was about.

“There was a hose and a tap so I thought I would tackle it myself.

“Just as it had gone out the fire brigade turned up.

“It was still smoking away so I left it to them.

“I jumped back over the fence and carried on with the party.”

The fire was reported to the fire service at about 12.28am and was already out when the owners, Paneer Woodhatch and her husband, Philip, pulled up shortly before 1am to find fire crews outside their home.

The fire wrecked a set of garden furniture after landing on a plastic tarpaulin which was laid on top to keep off the rain.

A hedge also suffered fire damage but amazingly a car, parked next to the furniture, escaped without catching light.

Have you tackled a fire on your own? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk