A mother whose house was ruined by a blaze in the early hours has praised fire crews and her neighbours.

A candle left unattended in a bedroom is thought to have caused the fire in Kathleen Godby's terraced home in Gurney Benham Close, Colchester, at about 3.20am yesterday.

At the time the house was full of people and animals. Two cats died in the blaze but everyone in the house Mrs Godby, her four children and two of her sons' friends along with a menagerie of other pets, escaped.

Mrs Godby and her daughter Kimberley, 19, were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The family, also including nine-year old Kirsty and brothers James and Kieron, 14 and 12 respectively, has been left homeless, but Mrs Godby said the support they have had from neighbours was amazing.

She and her children have been staying at various nearby houses and she said: "I can't thank everyone in the close enough."

Neighbours held a collection to help the family replace some of their things and her children's friends have given them clothes to wear.

She also said the firefighters called to the blaze had done a fantastic job.

After making sure everyone was out of the house, the crews went into the building in an attempt to rescue the family pets.

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Published Monday, September 6, 2004

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