A mum and her two children have been left sharing a single bedroom after a fire destroyed their council flat.

Emma Baker, 38, was asleep at the family's home in Attlee Avenue, Aylesham, when eight-year-old daughter Amelia woke her at 6am screaming: "Mummy - there's a fire!"

Miss Baker attempted to tackle the flames before rushing from the flat with Amelia and four-year-old son Logan.

Fire crews were called and quickly extinguished the blaze - which started in Amelia's bedroom - but the property was left so badly damaged that the family has been forced to move out.

Recalling the ordeal on June 11, Emma said: "My partner Mark had already gone to work at the hospital, where he's a cleaner, so I just had to try and tackle the fire myself.

"I threw some water on it but it was obvious it was doing nothing, so I had to just get us out and dial 999.

"Firefighters arrived quickly but the bedroom is a write-off and the rest of the flat has suffered bad smoke and water damage. We are not sure how it started and the cause is still being investigated."

"I threw some water on it but it was obvious it was doing nothing, so I had to just get us out and dial 999..."

Almost a month on, Miss Baker and the children are sharing a bedroom at her grandmother's bungalow in the village, while dad Mark Ross sleeps on the sofa.

Their ordeal has highlighted a shortage of temporary accommodation in Aylesham, with council housing chiefs saying the nearest available is in Dover.

But Miss Baker says moving so far away is impossible as she works in the village Co-op and does not drive, and the children go to the local primary school.

"It's a real squeeze and is far from ideal for both us and my grandma," she said.

"The council says there are no other available properties in the village, which I have been told is not the case.

"Instead they've offered us a property in Dover, which just doesn't work for us because the children go to school in Aylesham and I work in the village store."

Mr Ross, 47, says he is struggling to get information from the council about the family's plight.

"We just need somewhere in the village where we at least have adequate space because it's likely to be some time before we can get back into our flat," he said.

Dover District Council spokesman Andy Steele said: "We do understand the distress the family has experienced, and understand the difficulties that moving out of the village will cause. However, we don’t have any temporary accommodation in Aylesham.

"Following the fire, the family was advised that we would look for alternative housing for them, but it was likely to be in the Dover area. As a short-term measure, they advised us that they would be able to stay with a relative locally.

"In the meantime, there are no alternative properties available in Aylesham at present..."

"We are establishing timescales for repairs to the property, and the family will be advised once we have this information. In the meantime, there are no alternative properties available in Aylesham at present.

"The only property currently empty will not be ready for occupation for at least four weeks. We continue to work with the family."

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