A mother jumped for her life after lowering her three children – including a six-week-old baby – from the upstairs of their burning house in Telford today.

The woman’s partner, who had been asleep downstairs as the blaze took hold, made a desperate bid to get upstairs to his family before being forced to flee through a kitchen window at the house in Teal Close, near Brookside.

The fire blew out the windows and left black smoke billowing into the street.

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The family – named locally as Rebecca Coffey, her partner Ian, and children, Chloe, six, Charlie, five, and baby Finley – were taken to hospital where they were all in a stable condition this afternoon.

Neighbour Natalie Elcock said the young mother lowered her baby out of the window to save his life. She then jumped herself, breaking her leg.

Her baby son was taken to hospital with a head injury. The others suffered from smoke inhalation.

Firefighters said the family was lucky to be alive. Next-door neighbours Jim Wood, 79, and his wife Diane, 51, were also evacuated from their house as smoke began to enter their semi-detached home.

More than 18 firefighters tackled the blaze which started at the house shortly after 1.30am. Crew manager Craig Jackson said: “The family are really lucky to be alive. They had taken in a lot of smoke.”

Mr Jackson said crews were called at 1.35am. Fire investigation officers were at the scene today and a Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said:

“The ground floor was fully involved in fire which spread to the first floor. It was under control by 1.58am.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “A woman, believed to be in her 20s, was treated or smoke inhalation and a fractured leg. Crews also treated a baby for smoke inhalation and a head injury.

“Three others were all treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. All five were taken to the Princess Royal Hospital.”