A FOREST woman who risked her life to help others in a serious fire was invited to Buckingham Palace this week.

Mel Madley of Broadwell led eight people to safety when fire broke out at the residential home in Ross where she worked – and then went back in to tackle the flames in the burning building.

She has already received a commendation certificate from the chief fire officer of Hereford and Worcester and a good citizen's award from the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

On Tuesday she and her father Lloyd attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace after receiving an invitation from the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Lady Darnley.

The fire broke out in a bedroom on the first floor of Lawford House residential home where Mel has worked for 10 years – and where mum Jill is a manager.

The fire started at about 4am on April 16 last year. Mel saw smoke coming from under the door of a bedroom and led the man inside to safety and then went on to fight the fire with an extinguisher.

When the fire engine arrived she briefed the crew and helped evacuate seven other people from the first floor.

She was eventually taken to hospital with smoke inhalation.

The chief fire officer's commendation reads: "It is for her bravery and calm thinking in a highly dynamic and dangerous environment that Miss Melanie Madley is being awarded the Chief Fire Officer's Commendation."

Mel said told the Review she was looking forward to the garden party but she insisted she was not a hero. She said: "You don't really think about it when you are in the situation, you just go onto autopilot and do what has to be done.

Mel also revealed she was "told off" by firefighters for going back into the building after getting people out. "I didn't expect to be invited to the garden party but we're looking forward to it."

She had hoped to take her son Joseph, who is 14, but people have to be 18 to attend a garden party.

"Dad's coming with me because he is a Royalist."

Mum Jill said: "I would (say she's a hero). What she did went well beyond what she had to do.

"Not only did she help get the people out but she also saved the building from being a lot more badly damaged."