TWO women who were seriously injured after leaping almost 30ft from a blazing Glasgow tenement are suing their former landlords.

Melanie Anderson and Kirsty McAvoy were students at Glasgow University when the fire broke out at their digs in Argyle Street in May 2003.

Both had to jump from a second floor to escape the smoke and flames. Melanie broke her back and was in hospital for five weeks, while Kirsty broke her heel.

It was claimed the fire broke out when rubbish, including upholstered furniture which had been left lying in the close for more than 10 months, was set alight by vandals.

The girls say they warned their landlord and the building's factor about the danger, but their pleas to have the rubbish cleared went unheeded.

Now they have launched an action in the Court of Session against the 10 flat owners in the tenement and factors Hacking and Paterson.

Their lawyer Cameron Fyfe, of Glasgow firm Ross Harper, said it was impossible to put a figure on the claim, but that it would be "substantial".

"There will be sizeable claims for injuries received and wages lost. Both these girls had their careers seriously affected by this incident.

"The obligation was on the owners and factor to take steps to ensure that the rubbish was cleaned away.

"We have evidence that they were warned by Glasgow City Council that this was a hazard," he said.

The date for the hearing has been set for October 16.

Melanie, 24, who now lives in Elizabeth Street, Glasgow, suffered a fractured spine and spent five weeks confined to bed in the Southern General Hospital.

She had to wear a special neck brace for three months afterwards and was forced to postpone her studies while she recovered.

Melanie, originally from Aberdeenshire, said that due to the delay in her finishing her zoology course, she had not achieved the grades she expected.

She said today: "I was traumatised by this incident and I feel I should be compensated for the serious injury to my health and damage to my career."

Kirsty was unavailable for comment.