A fire has left the home of a family of six destroyed.

Firefighters were called to a fully developed blaze in Lansdown Road, Canterbury just before 8pm last night, which broke out in a bedroom at the back of a two-storey house.

It left everything on the upper floor of the property, where a family including four children and their visiting grandparents had been getting ready to go to sleep, damaged beyond repair.

Naomi Brenchley, 47, who lives opposite, opened her home up to her neighbours after they escaped.

She said: "I had just got my daughter to bed, and the family arrived on my doorstep saying there was a fire and asking if they could come in.

"I let them in and looked out the front door and the house was just blazing."

Although three fire engines had brought the flames under control by around 8.30pm, it is thought everything on the first floor of the house was either destroyed or contaminated by smoke.

The blaze, which resulted in neighbouring homes also being evacuated, has left the property uninhabitable for at least seven to ten weeks.

A fundraising page has now been set up by Ms Brenchley's 13-year-old son Ernest to help their neighbours with costs such as replacing clothing, bedding and re-decorating.

"It's very shocking. They had the clothes they were standing up in and that's about it," she continued.

"We are really close neighbours and my children were obviously very upset.

"We're a very tight knit community and everybody is just trying to do their bit to help."

Two volunteers from the British Red Cross also assisted the family after being contacted by Kent Fire Control, and provided clothing and toiletries.

A spokesman for Kent Fire & Rescue said: "We were called at 19.57 to Lansdown Road, Canterbury.

"Three fire engines attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire. Crews used a thermal imaging camera to check the fire was fully out.

"There were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is being treated as accidental."

Donate to the fundraising appeal here.