James Hall-Clifford was staying at the Powder Mills Hotel as part of a wedding party when a fire broke out at 1.30am last Sunday.

A total of 78 guests were evacuated from the building when the fire, caused by an electrical fault, started in the hallway of the Pavilion Suite.

But the 38-year-old banker from Kent, claims the fire alarms did not go off and staff were unhelpful.

Speaking about the report of the incident in last week's Observer, Mr Hall-Clifford said: "I was quite surprised to read the manager's comments on how his staff had lead everyone to safety and how the fire alarm worked.

"Staff were not getting people out the Powder Mills building because myself and a colleague did that."

Mr Hall-Clifford, who served in the armed forces between 1990-1996, says he and another member of the wedding party went back inside the building to help other guests out, including the groom's grandmother.

He said: "Myself and one other guest had to go back into a burning building, upstairs and kick a couple of doors down and carry someone out.

"We went back upstairs and basically just banged on all the doors.

"My colleague had to kick in three and I had to break down one because there was an elderly lady in there.

"There was no emergency lighting in there and she could not find her key in the dark, so I broke in and carried her out."

Mr Hall-Clifford says he feels he and the other guest, who did not want to be named, should have received more recognition for their actions.

He said: "There's two guys that risked their lives going back into the building and it would be nice for the hotel to say thanks.

"I'm just a bit annoyed at the end of the day and it was shambolic.

"There was scant recognition given by the hotel.

"We just feel there should have been a bit of recognition and thanks."

He added: "I have not stayed before, but rest assured I won't be going back there."

The other man who re-entered the building also criticised staff and said the alarms has failed to go off.

But general manager at the Powder Mills Hotel, Adrian Calder-Reade, insists staff had acted correctly and worked with guests to get people out of the building.

He said: "I praise the guests and the staff there that particular evening for what they did.

"Obviously it took place at 1.30am and most hotels only have a few night personnel on.

"The wedding finished at 12, but there were still guests partying in bedrooms.

"The firebrigade told me there was a role call done, staff tackled the blaze and I do not know what else they should be doing."

Mr Calder-Reade said the fire alarms did go off, but the flames burnt through wiring which cut the alarms off soon after they sounded.

This has been backed up by the firebrigade, who are investigating the blaze.

The hotel has since written to all guests who were staying that night thanking them for their help.

Mr Calder-Reade said: "We would like to thank the guests for their help and co-operation on the evening in question."

Last week fire crews praised the actions of staff, who carried out a role call and presented crews with a plan of the layout of the building, and the guests for alerting fellow guests to the fire.

A team of around 20 workmen worked solidly throughout last week to get the venue ready for three wedding parties booked in the following weekend.