Two men who helped an elderly couple and their grandson reach safety when a fire broke out outside their home have said being hailed as heroes has been “really odd”.

Mohsin Qayyum, 22, and Mohammed Yusuf Iqbal, 20, were driving past the house in Kirkstall, Leeds, when they spotted the fire and a man trying to put it out with a hose.

When family member Kayla Robinson thanked them on social media for helping her grandparents and brother, commenters praised their actions.

“It was a bit weird at first because we never really thought it would get this much attention and we didn’t really do it for attention – we just did it because like people needed our help,” said Iqbal, from Bradford.

Qayyum added: “It was a really weird feeling, especially with how quick it has spread and where it has spread. I had family and friends from all over England messaging me, saying, we’ve just seen you. And I’m there thinking, this is mental.

“I’m genuinely on the news and it’s for a good thing. It’s just really weird for people to recognise me because of that.”

Iqbal said his main concern after the incident – in which he jumped over a fence to help the family – was the damage he had done to their garden.

“I took responsibility for damaging some of their fences because I was trying to break them open. They said ‘no, don’t worry about it, we’ll sort it out’,” he said.

“They were just really grateful and then we carried on our way and that was it.”

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said two crews attended the fire on Lea Farm Road on 19 June, which had spread from the fence to the garage because a “combustible article” was too close to a controlled fire.

Student Qayyam said he was “overwhelmed” by the response.

“My mum’s given me a good upbringing, especially being a single mother to me and my sister so I’m happy to make her and my family proud,” he said

His mother Tayba Tabeezi Azim said: “He could not wash the dishes, but he went and rescued a couple of people from the fire.

“I just can’t emphasise enough how incredibly proud I am of them.”

She said it had been reassuring to see such a positive reaction on social media.

“Some people are saying you have done really well in raising him – we can raise our children but what they implement is up to them. You can lay the foundation, what they take from that is then up to them.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the adult that he’s becoming,” she said.

Iqbal’s mother Saima Rafique said she was “totally overwhelmed” as well.

“It is so nice to have such a positive effect – I feel it’s so positive towards young Asian men who both happen to be Muslim as well,” she said.

“It’s such a nice change to read than all the all the doom and gloom that you get, which dampens Asian Muslims especially young boys and so I’m extremely proud of both of them.”

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