16134/1Two families have been left homeless after a blaze ripped through their semi-detached properties causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

It broke out around 9.30pm last Saturday night in Rodbourne Road, Corston.

Single father Mick Brundell was playing his guitar and about to got to bed when he heard a window break and his next door neighbour's dog bark wildly.

Mr Brundell said: "Suddenly I realised the house was on fire. Quickly I got my kids out, moved my car and rescued the neighbour's dog. The whole roof was glowing. There were flames and sparks whizzing everywhere. The whole house was full of smoke and when I went inside my neighbour's dog, a black labrador called Charlie, was terrified hiding in the kitchen behind a chair."

Miles away in London, Mr Brundell's neighbours Shaun and Paula Outlaw were enjoying a concert unaware a fire had started in the first floor bedroom of their 14-year-old daughter Natasha.

The Malmesbury School student was out babysitting at the time. Her older sister Vanessa was also out with friends when she received a call from Mr Brundell telling her to get back home quickly.

The 17-year-old Swindon College student immediately called her mother to relay the news

Mrs Outlaw said: "I was hysterical because I was miles away from home and I wanted to be there with my kids."

Mrs Outlaw said they had lost everything except the clothes on our back. "What the fire didn't damage the water has soaked," she said. "We will have to replace everything and particularly sentimental things such as pictures of the girls, and school reports. The girls keep remembering what they have lost."

The family are now staying with Mr Outlaw's sister Lynette Willetts in Sherston.

Mr Outlaw who works as a builder and owned his house said: "It hasn't sank in. I am still in a state of shock. We have lost everything and it will cost tens of thousands of pounds to replace everything. We had just finished an extension to the house."

The family are now awaiting an insurance assessment.

Malmesbury sub officer Wayne Jones said investigations are still ongoing into the cause of the fire but it is not thought to be suspicious.

Although Mr Brundell's house escaped the onslaught of the flames, the smoke and water damage have left it uninhabitable.

The 45-year-old has lived at the rented house for nine years and was uninsured. Westlea Housing Association is now finding a house for him and his three children, 14-year-old Tommy, 12-year-old Peony and ten-year-old Ruby and during the last few days they have been staying at a Crudwell hotel.

In response to the plight of the two families former parish councillor Daphne Jones is asking people to help them out by sending donations.

Cheques should be made payable to Corston and Rodbourne PCC and sent to the Reverend Guy Oswald, The Rectory, Frog Lane, Great Somerford, SW15 5JA.