Story with a happy ending...

The story of Miles McBurnie’s brush with death is both harrowing and heartwarming in equal measure.

As we reveal today, Miles is well on the road to recovery as his beaming smile shows.

But it was a different story 12 months ago when his happy home was turned upside down by a huge blaze.

While his older brother managed to escape the flames, Miles, aged just 18 months, was trapped upstairs.

His parents Lorna and Adam tried desperately to reach their boy, but were forced back by the billowing smoke.

That this story has a happy ending is all down to the bravery and expertise of our firefighters.

Rescue teams from Marley Parks, Farringdon and Sunderland Central fire stations descended on the burning building to pluck Miles to safety. These firefighters performed CPR on the youngster for 10 minutes.

It must have been the most harrowing 10 minutes of the family’s lives.

The heartwarming side of this traumatic episode are the photographs of Miles today and the words of gratitude from the family for the support they’ve received from the community and the bravery of the officers who saved his life.

As grandmother Ann tells us today: “You can rebuild a house but you can’t rebuild a life.”

It’s something that the Government should bear in mind when they propose yet more fire service cuts.

The last word on the firefighters should go to Anne, when she says: “It just shows you the heart and soul of the firefighters who aren’t just doing their job, they have families themselves and they are just absolutely amazing.”