These pictures show the devastation which greeted a Telford man when he returned home from work.

Burglars are being blamed for the fire which devastated the Oakengates property, leaving Ian Renshaw homeless. Mr Renshaw, 46, said he was “absolutely gutted” when he discovered his fire-damaged home yesterday. It is believed burglars smashed a side window and broke into the detached house in Leonard Street.

It is thought they started the blaze, which was out when fire crews arrived, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

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Mr Renshaw had lived at the house for 10 years, but has now got to live in a hotel while it is repaired. He said he had no idea how long it would take to sort out.

“I work nights and got back just before 6am and saw it,” he said. “I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

“It might be recoverable upstairs, but downstairs is ruined. I’ll have to live in a hotel. All of my clothes and everything is ruined. Basically, anything the burglars didn’t take is now ruined.

“The most sentimental things I’ve lost are the pictures on my laptop and my camera, all the pictures of my children, who are aged 13 and 16, were on there.

“I’ve no idea how much it’s going to cost to sort it all. There’s so much going on, I don’t know where to begin.

“If they have to break in, that’s one thing, but why set my house on fire?”

Sue Walls, Mr Renshaw’s girlfriend, from Luton, Bedfordshire, travelled to Telford after hearing of the fire.

“It was quite a shock when I woke up to a text saying his house was all burned,” she said.

“It was my 50th birthday party at the weekend and all the photos from that were on the camera which was stolen, but otherwise I was quite lucky because we’d been on holiday so everything I had here I’d taken home to take on holiday with me.”

The fire is understood to have started in a ground floor room. Police and fire officers have launched an investigation, saying it was being treated as of “doubtful origin”.

Anyone with information  is asked to call Telford police on 03003 333000.

By Rachael Lowe