'No insurance cost us everything after fire'

Chantelle, 25, pictured with partner Lee and two of her children, said she was "heartbroken" after the fire

A family who lost about £10,000 worth of possessions in a fire have warned others of the importance of contents insurance.

Chantelle, 25, and partner Lee lived at the council-owned flat in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, with her three children.

She said she had dropped her son off at nursery on 1 October and returned to find the flat on fire.

The family is now living in emergency accommodation - a one-bedroom flat eight miles away - and have urged others to think about getting insurance to cover possessions.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze started in the kitchen and was caused by the cooker.

A social media post from Stapleford Fire Station said smoke alarms had sounded inside the flat and residents in the block were evacuated.

"Thankfully, the family escaped unharmed, though tragically, they have lost all of their possessions," the service said.

The family could be out of their home for months, if not years, they said, and estimate they have lost about £10,000 worth of belongings.

Ilkeston Road, Stapleford, was closed for a few hours as the fire was extinguished

Now in a one-bedroom flat eight miles away from their home in Ilkeston Road, Chantelle said the loss of special memories hurt the most.

"Pictures that I haven't got on my phone, Mother's and Father's Day cards that we kept over the years are all gone," said Chantelle.

"I looked through the window and saw my son's baby blanket, that we were given in the hospital, black and burnt on the floor and I just burst into tears."

Lee said: "When we got here, all we had were the clothes on our back.

"Everything we've spent years and months saving for is gone."

The family are now relying on donations

Buying contents insurance will now be on the "top of the to-do list", said Lee, once they start to rebuild.

"I just never thought we would need insurance, because you never think someone will break in or that anything will severely damage the house," he added.

"It's also just another cost on top of all the other bills that we wouldn't have been able to afford."

Family, friends and neighbours have rallied around, helping them out with donated items.

Chantelle has said she never expected such a huge response from the community.

"I just didn't think we were going to get any help, but people from the community centre came straight away with bottles, baby wipes, baby milk.

"Ever since, we've had hundreds of messages of support. People wanting to donate money, toys, clothes...stuff we didn't have the money for."