A FAMILY lost almost all of their belongings, including the children's

Christmas presents, in a ferocious house fire.

The young mother and her three-year-old son were lucky to escape their home, in Thorndyke Way, Wrotham, when it went up in flames at about 11am on Friday.

The 23-year-old mum, who does not want to be named, said that the fire started when her son set fire to the living room curtains with a lighter while she was asleep, suffering with flu.

Her daughter was at school at the time.

She said: "At first, I couldn't get out because I locked the doors and put

the keys up to stop the children running out.

"And with all the smoke, I couldn't find the door.

"I found the back door key and we got out that way."

She said: "The fire spread very fast. Within 20 minutes our home was ruined.

"It's horrible. I think I could have handled it better if it wasn't just before Christmas."

The only belongings she was able to save besides the dressing gown she was

wearing, were the children's bikes and a bread bin containing documents.

The children's toys, including those they were expecting for Christmas, and the Christmas tree were all lost in the flames.

A fire fighter from Larkfield who was at the scene said: "When we entered

the building, the whole front room was engulfed in flames, top to bottom,

and the whole house was totally smoke logged.

"It was one of the worst house fires I've seen for a long time.

"I think anyone who's in a house fire that extreme is lucky to get

out."

The family have received temporary accommodation at a nearby residential

home and neighbours have started a collection.