The owners of the 17th century bed and breakfast, which burned down in Castle Combe last Wednesday night, have told of their heartbreak at losing their beloved pet dogs.

Hilary Baker and Mac Turner lost everything, apart from the clothes they were wearing, when fire ripped through their home last Wednesday evening.

The couple described how they returned from visiting a neighbour to find fire had broken out in the living room of their home.

Despite their vain attempts to reach their two 17-month-old Jack Russell puppies, Kickstart and Cam, they were beaten back by the heat and smoke.

"Standing there, knowing our puppies were trapped and there was nothing we could do, was the most helpless feeling I have ever experienced," said Ms Baker.

"We have lost everything, but we can replace our possessions, we can never replace our puppies they were like our children," said Mr Turner.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a power surge, which ignited a socket in the living room of the cottage and spread up into the roof of the building, where it ignited the ancient timbers.