Lloyd Scott has conquered leukaemia, marathons and Everest. Sebastian Murphy-Bates finds out about the ex-Daggers goalie’s extraordinary life – starting with the day he rescued two boys from a burning building

Barking and Dagenham Post: Fundraiser Lloyd Scott crossing the London Marathon finish line in 2002 in a deep sea divers suit (Pic by PA/Michael Stephens)Fundraiser Lloyd Scott crossing the London Marathon finish line in 2002 in a deep sea divers suit (Pic by PA/Michael Stephens) (Image: PA Archive/Press Association Images)

“It was back in October 1987 – we were called out and on the route we could see smoke.

“I was on one of the machines we had to rig into breathing apparatus, when we were told that there were two small boys trapped.

“Time is really of the essence in a situation like that – seconds can save lives. As soon as you hear lives are involved you have to respond as quickly as you can.

“So, I slung my breathing apparatus over my shoulders. Some neighbours had put a building ladder to the window and, breaking all the rules, I climbed up it and tumbled into the room.

“It was pitch-black from the smoke so I just had to get down on all-fours and search the room. I crawled around the room and put a hand on an arm or leg or something. It made the hairs stand up on my neck – I’d found one of the boys!

“I got him out by passing him to a colleague through the window.

“When I found the second little boy, I heard him groan and thought ‘he’s still alive – we’ve got a chance to save him!’. I passed him to my colleague too.

“Then I had the problem of getting out myself. I took my breathing apparatus off to make my escape as I couldn’t risk falling out of a first-floor window.

“I inhaled several lung-fulls of toxic smoke – my colleague said I looked like a dragon when I came out with all the smoke I was breathing out!

“I got taken to the hospital and had a number of routine tests but something wasn’t quite right.

“I was discharged with the brief that I had to return for more tests.

“I went to hospital with my dad – I played for Dagenham Football Club back then so I was in my club suit.

“The doctor came in, shuffled some papers around and told me I had leukaemia. I was told I had less than a 10 per cent chance of survival. But I found a donor, had a bone marrow transplant and survived.

“Then I was involved in a crash in a fire engine and I was discharged.

“I wanted to give something to people in a similar situation to me. I’ve done loads of things to raise money – like the Everest Marathon. You have to trek for three weeks just to get to the start, which is at 17,000 ft.

“For my latest attempt at the London Marathon I thought ‘what’s the worst possible costume you could wear?’.

“I chose a deep sea diving suit with lead boots – it weighed nearly 10 st. Everyone just thought I was a nutter!

“But I got loads of coverage and I raised about £200,000 for CLIC Sargent.

“I’m working on my last project later this year. All I can say is it’s going to be something quite different, it will be in London and it will be underground!”