A family of seven had a lucky escape when a fire erupted in their house, leaving them homeless.

Tristan Thorburn, his fiancée Sara Smith and their four children were all out on the morning school run when it happened.

The one relative still there had to jump out of a window to save his own life.

But the blaze slaughtered nearly all the 23 pets of the animal loving family – 18 guinea pigs were killed and one cat.

Now the family is homeless and a crowdfunding page has been set up to help them.

The fire erupted from the tumble dryer in the utility room of the house in London Road, Dover, at about 9.10am on Wednesday, October 13.

Ms Smith, 32, a housewife, said: "We were very lucky because we usually put the tumble dryer on at night time.

'If anybody had tried to get down the stairs they wouldn't have made it...'

"If it had happened then nobody would have got out."

Mr Thorburn, 33, a trainee lorry driver, said: "The fire brigade said that if anybody had tried to get down the stairs they wouldn't have made it. That smoke was fuelled by a lot of plastic so was very thick"

Ms Smith's brother Daniel Lee, 26, who also lived in the two-storey house, was asleep in his first floor bedroom and was woken up by a smoke alarm.

He jumped out of the window, landing safely on a hutch, and ran to a neighbour to get the fire brigade called.

The neighbour, also called Ms Smith, returned to a burnt house and found the family dog on the floor, which another neighbour dragged out.

That pet survived along with a kitten and two guinea pigs.

Mr Lee was assessed and treated at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford by ambulance.

He has since recovered fully.

Two fire engines were sent to the property and crews wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.

They helped rescue the surviving pets who were then give specialist animal masks for oxygen.

The fire caused smoke damage to the entire property and flame and heat damage to the utility room, kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) spokesman confirmed: "The fire is believed to have started accidentally, due to a fault with the appliance."

KFRS otherwise have given general advice telling people not to leave tumble dryers unattended when used, keep them clean and remove excess fluff and follow manufacturer gudelines.

The family did regularly clean the appliance.

The couple and four children, Mark, 14, Scarlett, 13, Savannah, seven, and Elisia, three, are now homeless and in temporary council accommodation.

Their house is privately rented and they don't know when or if they will move back in.

Ms Smith's sister, Melissa Foote, has set up a crowdfunding page for the family to help pay for food and clothes plus toys for the children, with a target figure of £5,000.

It can be found on here.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover