An elderly man is said to have suffered extreme burns as he tried to extinguish a fire ripping through his house.

More than £2,000 has been raised for the man and his wife after their home in Richmond Street, Herne Bay, was hit by the blaze in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The couple – named only as Brenda and Ray – “lost absolutely everything” in the flames.

Ray, 72, is said to have bravely fought to put out the fire and suffered burns and smoke inhalation.

Now, a GoFundMe has been set up to help him and his 78-year-old wife rebuild their lives.

The organiser of the fundraiser, Charley Bassom, said: “Unfortunately, this elderly couple lost absolutely everything in the fire, and now only have the clothes that are on their back.

“Ray was extremely brave and attempted to extinguish the fire himself, resulting in him now being treated for extreme burns.

“Anyone who knows Brenda and Ray would know that this lovely couple would do anything and everything to help absolutely anyone.

“Now, I hope we can stand together as a community and help them in the time they need it most.”

Well-wishers have donated and offered messages of support.

Jennifer Smith wrote: “It's such an awful thing to happen.

“I’m wishing you well and a speedy recovery.”

Jack Ford added: “My thoughts are with you all.”

The campaign was shared by the local charity Maya’s Community Support Centre, with this message: “Brenda and Ray, you are not alone in this! The community is behind you.”

Photos of the damage show that the grandparents’ home has been gutted by the inferno.

The upstairs windows have been blown out and stained black, while the flames have caused part of the roof to collapse.

The road was closed as firefighters remained at the scene for hours.

A spokesman for the fire service said: “Six fire engines and a height vehicle dealt with a fire in a two-storey property in Richmond Street, Herne Bay.

“Crews wearing breathing apparatus used a combination of high-pressure hose reel jets and main jets, with a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke and fumes from neighbouring properties that have also been affected.

“The cause of the fire has not yet been established.”