A WOMAN rescued as a child from a ferocious house fire in which two of her sisters died is seeking to provide a permanent memorial to the siblings.

Laura Johnson, now 43, was just six years old when she was pulled from the blazing family home in Broomhill Walk, Keighley.

She, her baby brother and another sister – together with their mum and stepfather – survived the inferno.

But Laura's older sister Sylvia, who was ten, and four-year-old Carrie Ann both lost their lives.

Now Laura is seeking to provide a bench in Lund Park, not far from the scene of the tragedy and where she and the other children used to play.

The memorial would be close to a plaque unveiled earlier this month in tribute to Keighley firefighter Jeff Naylor, who died after being badly injured as he and colleagues battled to save the youngsters.

"I was so pleased to see that Jeff's actions had been recognised – but it also evoked a lot of emotions and was quite upsetting," said Laura, who now has three children of her own.

"Myself and Sylvia were particularly close, she was my big sister.

"We used to play together in the park. I remember her coming off her bike once, and cutting her head. We'd get into scrapes, like all children do.

"I thought it would be nice to have a bench near Jeff's plaque as a tribute to Sylvia and Carrie Ann."

Laura – whose surname was Smith then – still has vivid memories of events surrounding the tragedy, on April 27, 1983.

She and the rest of the family – including Sylvia, Carrie Ann, two-year-old sister Evlyne and brother Michael, 14 months – were asleep when the fire broke out, during the night.

"I remember Sylvia waking me up," said Laura, who shared the room with her sister and brother.

"It was pitch black and the room was full of smoke. You couldn't see a thing. It was terrifying.

"Sylvia told me to stay under the bed covers.

"That was the last thing I could recall.

"My next memory was of waking up in hospital. I don't know how long I was unconscious."

Laura's right leg had been badly burned and she spent nearly three months in hospital.

"My mum and aunt told me about Sylvia and Carrie Ann," said Laura.

"It was really hard to take in.

"And years may pass, but the emotional pain doesn't go away. It never will."

Following the fire, the family moved to Elmwood Road in Keighley.

Laura was a pupil at Ingrow Primary School, before going on to the former Swire Smith Middle and then Oakbank.

All three of her children – Robert, 21, Chelsea, 20, and A.J, 18 – were born in the town.

Laura, who now lives in Barnoldswick, would like to hear from anybody able to support her in the memorial bench project.

She can be contacted by e-mail on laurajoyjohnson@gmail.com.