A MUM says her children are lucky to be alive after two of them started a bedroom blaze which gutted the first floor of their home.
Laura Partington, of Bridgefield Close, Rishton, had gone out shopping with friends on Monday evening, leaving her children Lucas, John, Kevin and Ben with a neighbour.
But while she was away, Lucas, seven, and John, five, began playing with a lighter in an upstairs bedroom while three-year-old Kevin and two-year-old Ben were being looked after downstairs.
They set a bed on fire with a piece of burning paper and the blaze quickly spread to the rest of the room, forcing the brothers and their babysitter to flee the home.
Meanwhile, neighbours were frantically trying to ring Laura, 25, on her mobile phone to let her know what was going on.
She said: "I had gone shopping and I got all these text messages telling me my house was on fire, but at first I thought they were joking.
"Then I got a call off my neighbour who told me what was happening and she stayed on the phone talking to me while I rushed back.
"I am really glad the kids are all right but unfortunately we have very little left. Most of our clothes are gone and we have not be able to salvage very much.
"They are quite lively boys and I just hope they won't be doing it again."
Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 8.40pm and stayed for three hours tackling the flames which caused severe heat and smoke damage to the upstairs rooms.
Laura said: "My neighbours have been great looking after me as everyone here on the estate is really close. I hope the house can be sorted out as I don't want to have to move, it would be like moving away from my family."
Her local residents' association is set to have a collection in a bid to help Laura out and replace some of the items lost in the fire.
Since the blaze she has been living with her sister Charmaine on nearby Spring Street.
John Taylor of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Children playing with fire can and does happen and sometimes it can happen from an early age.
"If children find things like matches and lighters they are often tempted to use them in a play setting so we would urge parents to be vigilant.
"Playing with fire can often have dire consequences and all we can do is tell people not to do it.
"If anyone would like advice on any aspect of fire safety they can call us on freephone 0800 169 1125 and we can advise them."
l It is the second time in a week that a blaze started by youngsters has damaged a house in Hyndburn. The first happened last week when little Chantal Holden, five, began a blaze in her mum Donna's bedroom at their home on Nuttall Street, Accrington.
