Homes destroyed by fire in Chapel St Leonards

Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service was called to the fire at about 15:19 BST on Sunday

A family has been left homeless after a fire destroyed two homes and damaged several others in a seaside resort.

Six fire crews were called to Buckingham Drive in Chapel St Leonards at about 15:20 BST on Sunday, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said.

The service said the blaze started accidentally in the garden of one of the homes and no-one was injured.

An online crowdfunding campaign has been set up to help a family with three young children who have been left homeless after their home was gutted by the fire.

The fire service said two properties are "no longer habitable" following the fire

A spokesperson for the fire service said there was "varying fire damage including garden buildings, oil tanks and fencing".

"It was caused accidentally by combustible materials in one of the gardens," they added.

"Two of the properties suffered internal fire damage and the others just had damage to the gardens."

One eyewitness, 26-year-old Shannon Elliot, said the blaze had affected seven bungalows including the home of her best friends, Chelsea Moore and McCorley Booth.

She said the couple - who have three young children aged one, five and seven - were "absolutely devastated, we all are" after their home was gutted by the fire.

Shannon Elliot said the fire had destroyed her friend's family home

"They're shaken up and don't know where to start.

"They've got no home and have been left with absolutely nothing. They had cash savings in the house but it's all gone."

Ms Elliot appealed for donations including clothes for the children after the family escaped the blaze "without shoes".

She said the eldest boy and five-year-old girl were playing in the conservatory when he alerted his mother to the fire in a neighbour's garden.

The blaze spread to the rest of the property, she said.

"It's scary and I just feel helpless," said Ms Elliot.

More than £2,600 has been raised within 17 hours of the online crowdfunding page being set up for the family.

Ms Elliot said: "The whole Chapel St Leonard community has come together overnight to help and donate things - local businesses, charity shops, other parents.

"We're a bit gobsmacked by it all, really."

The fire service said two properties were "no longer habitable", while another three had damage to the rear of their gardens

'Fire was raging'

Richard Ball, a Buckingham Drive resident, said: "At about 16:00 BST I was asleep in the conservatory and my wife came screaming that there was a fire.

"I came out and got my garden hose, climbed on the roof but it was a waste of time.

"The fire was raging and the eucalyptus tree was burning like mad. I had to get down because the fire was creeping up under where I was standing."

Mr Ball said his garden shed had "completely gone" with all his metal detecting equipment and wife's tools "totally destroyed".

"It was scary but the family at the end have lost everything. They came round and were in hysterics.

"The neighbours around here and fire crews were brilliant," he added.

Eyewitness Richard Ball's garden shed had "completely gone" with all his metal detecting equipment and wife's tools "totally destroyed"

Helen Gridley, south divisional commander for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: "The crews worked really hard in the initial stages to prevent the fire from spreading.

"Unfortunately, we have two properties that are no longer habitable, one that has some external damage and three properties that have damage to the rear of their gardens, such as fencing and sheds."

She added: "Sometimes if you get a pile of compostable materials there is an ability for it to spontaneous combust.

"It doesn't need that amount of heat, it depends what the materials consist of. That can start a fire.

"This was the bungalow where nobody resides in at this moment in time."

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