When smoke filled their bedroom a mum and dad rushed to rescue their two young children as fire tore through their home.

Cheryl Woodgate and her partner Tyrone Howe were in bed when the immersion heater in their bedroom burst into flames in the early hours.

They immediately grabbed their two children, a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl.

The room filled with so much heat and smoke that it blew the windows out of their frames, which smashed all over the front garden in Brewers Field, Wilmington.

Ms Woodgate, 37, said: “I woke up before the alarm went off, I don’t know why. I saw the smoke coming out of the boiler cupboard and told Tyrone.

“We shut the door tight and went straight to the box room at the back of the house, where the children are.

“I said to them ‘We’re going to practice what to do if there’s a fire, like in school’, and just then the smoke alarm went off.

“They were scared and crying, and saying ‘There’s a fire mummy, there’s a fire’, but we managed to get them dressed and get them out.

“It was so hot. Then the window exploded, glass shattered over the floor. It was terrifying, I’ve never been so scared.”

Speaking through tears she added: “Everything’s gone. I literally only have the clothes I’m stood up in. Obviously that’s all replaceable, the main thing is, we’re all OK.

“But I am a sentimental person, and there were pictures and presents in there from my 21st, a watch and things that I wanted to keep forever.

“The worst things are the prints I had done of the children’s hands and feet when they were five days old. I’ll never get them back.”

They put the children in the car, well away from the house, while fire crews threw their belongings out of the window to prevent the items fuelling the flames.

Ms Woodgate, who works as a nursery nurse with special needs children, added: “It’s the most surreal feeling, watching your house burn.

“It was so fast, but it felt like the longest five minutes of my life seeing everything go up in flames.

“The smoke alarms would definitely have saved us if I hadn’t woken up. I just hope everyone has one.

“They’re only cheap, there’s really no excuse.”

The bedroom is destroyed, and there is smoke and water damage to the rest of the property.

With no hot water or heating, the family are staying at Tyrone’s mother’s house.

She added: “I’ve got two children to get to school and everything, even their uniforms have been destroyed.”

Despite their ordeal, the couple were keen to thank all those who helped them during and after the fire.

Ms Woodgate said: “I can’t thank the firefighters enough. They were brilliant – even letting my little boy sit in the fire engine.

“They’re OK today. My little boy is worse; he keeps wanting to go home and have his toys, but to my little girl it’s all just Fireman Sam.

“Maypole primary and Acorns nursery have also been so supportive, and keen to help, especially with things like uniform.

“Friends, family and even the community has been fantastic, too. All our neighbours have been so kind.”

Ms Woodgate added: “I don’t know what’s happening at the moment. We’re constantly on the phone to insurers.

Following the blaze, the fire service is renewing its appeal to residents to have smoke alarms fitted on each floor of their homes and to test them weekly.

The latest national, family-friendly campaign from Fire Kills encourages smoke alarms to be seen as the family home’s “unsung hero”, using smiley-faced smoke alarm images.

KFRS fire safety manager Martin Skeet said: “We recommend that you build in testing your smoke alarm as part of your regular routine alongside another weekly event, such as watching a favourite television programme or after picking the kids up from a weekly club.

“Working smoke alarms provide early warning in the unfortunate event of a fire, allowing vital time for occupants to escape from their home.

“Smoke alarms really do save lives, as we have seen on numerous occasions.”

For information about the range of free advice and services Kent Fire and Rescue Service offers call 0800 923 7000.