A managing director left homeless after a blaze gutted his luxury home today vowed to stay strong for the sake of his young children.

Ian Beatwell, 36, managing director of Universal Planning Services, in Victoria Avenue, Southend, was home with his family when an electrical fault caused the freezer to catch fire.

Wrecked - the kitchen after fire crews battled to quell the flames Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

The blaze, at the four-bedroom detached house in Symons Avenue, Eastwood, caused extensive damage and the Beatwell family are having to rely on friends for somewhere to stay.

Mr Beatwell, his wife, their ten-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son gathered the family dog and called the emergency crews after the fire broke out at 7pm on Wednesday.

He said: "You always have to pay tribute to the fire officers and if they hadn't got here as soon as they did, this could have been a lot worse. They moved very quickly and got the fire under control.

"It's going to be nine or ten months before we can move back in and we will have to go into rented accommodation.

"Of course it's hard, but you just have to get on with it. You have to try to comfort the kids and get them through it."

Station officer Peter Bennett, of Southend fire, said the heat of the fire had smashed double glazed windows at the property, and completely gutted the kitchen.

Published Friday, January 10, 2003

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