A grandmother-of-six is "devastated" after her beloved dog died in a fire that tore through her house.

Jackie Jevon says she and her two sons are lucky to be alive, after the blaze broke out in an upstairs bedroom of their home in Montfort Close, Canterbury, while they slept.

Ms Jevon, 56, broke down in tears as she recalled the harrowing night.

"We could have been dead," she said.

The mum-of-four told how at about 6.30am on December 3, her youngest son Jack, 14, awoke to the terrifying sight of his wardrobe on fire.

Leaping from his bed, he rushed to alert his brother - a fireball erupting into his room as he opened the door.

He then ran downstairs to his mum, who is disabled and sleeps on the ground floor due to health conditions.

"I jumped up and grabbed the dogs," said Ms Jevon. "I've got four dogs that help me with my disabilities.

"As I got into the hallway, I could see all the smoke."

Ms Jevon's older son James, 17, bravely ran back upstairs in a bid to rescue a cat and an elderly dog that had been sleeping in a bedroom.

"We could hear him screaming for the dog, and I was screaming for him to get downstairs," said Ms Jevon.

"I was reaching out to him saying 'James we've got to get out of the house'.

"As he finally turned to come back downstairs, the side window in the hallway upstairs just exploded out with the fire."

Tragically, the family's beloved dog, Lily, perished in the blaze.

"She was 12-years-old and she had cancer," said heartbroken Ms Jevon. "That's why she slept upstairs. She was very close to my son and she helped him."

Jack's cat, Bobby, was initially presumed dead but has since been found. It is thought he jumped from an upstairs window to escape the flames.

Outside in the street, the family stood barefoot in their nightclothes, as the fire tore through their home of 12 years.

"I was screaming for help in my nightdress," said Ms Jevon.

"The students next door were absolutely fantastic. We didn't know them, but they came out."

An ambulance took the family to the QEQM hospital in Margate, where Jack and James were given oxygen.

Six fire engines also rushed to the scene and firefighters spent several hours battling the fire, which was finally put out by 10.20am.

A fire service spokesman has since said the blaze is believed to have started accidentally, due to overloaded power sockets.

However, Ms Jevon believes it was caused by an electric shower situated in the room behind her son's wardrobe, and is hoping to get a private investigation carried out.

"I've seen a photo from a video showing the flames coming out of Jack's bedroom window, and it looks horrific," said Ms Jevon, who has otherwise avoided looking at images of the blaze.

What wasn't destroyed by the fire, which totally gutted the home's first floor, has been left ruined by water used by firefighters.

"I've lost all my personal stuff," said Ms Jevon. "The boys have lost everything.

"I've lost the boys' and my grandkids' Christmas presents, all our decorations. Everything's gone."

The family, who rent their property from the council, are now being housed in temporary accommodation.

But they have been left deeply affected by the ordeal, and it is predicted they will not be able to return home for another eight months.

"Jack's still got a really bad cough from it, and they're both suffering with anxiety," said Ms Jevon.

"Jack's the one who found the fire, and he's been having nightmares.

"We could have been dead. The boys especially.

"They're lucky to be alive.

"I'm devastated - absolutely devastated. I'm an emotional wreck. I keep going around our temporary accommodation turning the electrics off."

Thankfully, the family has contents insurance, which Ms Jevon urges all tenants to invest in.

But she is waiting to hear from her insurance company regarding a pay-out.

A Canterbury City Council spokesman responded to the tragic incident, saying: "We understand this was a very distressing incident for the family and send our condolences on the loss of Lily.

"We were able to secure them a temporary home within the Canterbury district very quickly afterwards and hope they are able to have the best possible Christmas given the circumstances.

"Repair work on their home in Montfort Close will begin in the new year. We will, of course, ensure it is carried out as quickly as we can so that they can move back at the earliest opportunity, but it is a major project and it will take some time."

Ms Jevon's daughter Vanessa has launched a fundraiser to help buy clothing and other items, to help the family get back on their feet in the meantime.

She wrote: "I know it is close to Christmas and times are hard for everyone but if you are able to spare even a little to help, it will be greatly appreciated."

The fundraiser has so far raised more than £1,100 of its £2,000 target.

To donate, visit the Gofundme page.

Read more: All the latest news from Canterbury