Huge fire engulfs Shropshire farmhouse

A couple and their two young children were forced to flee in their nightclothes when a huge blaze engulfed their 19th century Shropshire farmhouse.

Chris and Helen Holman were woken by smoke alarms at about 2am yesterday and managed to rush their boys, aged three and 18 months, to safety.

They all escaped unharmed as flames tore through their Buttery Farm home near Kynnersley, Telford.

The outer walls of the house, which date back to 1810, were all that were left standing today.

Mrs Holman said today: "If people do nothing else today then they should check they have a fire alarm and it is working."

She praised firefighters for managing to salvage some of the children's possessions from the ruins of their home so "they can continue with their lives normally".

The blaze broke out within hours of a fundraising wine and pudding event in a marquee at the farm on Saturday night to raise cash for St Chad's Church in Kynnersley. More than 60 people were thought to have attended the party.

Sheila Webb, Mrs Holman's mother, said the local community was rallying round to help the family.

She said: "They have come round and taken away loads of washing to do and we have had wonderful support."

Seven fire crews from across the county fought the blaze for more than three hours and three pumps stayed at the site throughout yesterday damping down and carrying out checks.

Mrs Webb, who lives nearby, said her daughter had brought the two children to her in the middle of the night.

She said: "We live in a barn a few yards away and my daughter came banging on our door asking us to take the babies because the house was on fire. So we looked after them here while she ran back to make sure everybody got out. There are just the walls left standing but everyone got out alive and that is all that really matters."

By Peter Kitchen