‘I ordered McDonald’s at 2am – then I heard chilling screaming coming from outdoors’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

Incredible footage has captured the second a courageous 17-year-old boy saved his aged neighbour from a home hearth at the hours of darkness. Joel Keates, from Altrincham in Greater Manchester, had ordered from McDonald’s within the early hours of Friday morning (April 4) when he heard alarming screams from outdoors.

Rushing downstairs, he was met with the sight of smoke billowing from his aged neighbour’s home windows and flames quickly spreading. Without hesitation, Joel contacted the hearth brigade earlier than dashing again inside to get up his father Dean Keates and step-mother Emily Haddock to get further help. The household efficiently ushered their neighbour to security, with no critical accidents reported, stories the Manchester Evening News.

The incident was captured on Dean and Emily’s Ring doorbell digital camera with terrifying footage exhibiting Joel operating to reply to his neighbour’s screams earlier than returning residence to ask for assist, as thick smoke fills up the air.

Speaking to the MEN, Joel stated: “It was around 2am, and I’d ordered a McDonald’s to the house because I’d just broken up for the Easter holidays. So I was sat up in my room and I heard screaming so I went to have a look.

“It was fairly apparent there was a fireplace, there was smoke popping out of the home windows and the roof – the home hadn’t gone up in flames since but it surely did quickly after.”

The sixth-form student, who is preparing for his B-tec exams, recalled how he just thought “go” when he realised something was wrong. He said: “I did not actually have a second thought,” he added. “I do not know what I used to be pondering.”

Following the successful rescue of his neighbour, Joel described her as being “very shaken up”, mentioning that she requested his continued presence while he fetched blankets and a coat for her.

“I do not suppose the realisation of what occurred has actually hit me but,” he said. “It’s nonetheless not absolutely in my head that that is what I went and did.”

Emily Haddock, Joel’s stepmother, said the family are “terribly proud” of the young man’s quick thinking.

She said: “We’ve lived there for six years, and it is an aged neighbour who we all know fairly properly. We’re terribly happy with him and the way courageous he was.

“He initially thought someone was being stabbed, so he was so brave to even come out and see what was going on. As you can see in the video, without a second thought he just ran to help. We’re very proud of him.”