THREE family members leapt for their lives from their first-floor bathroom window when a blaze tore through their house.

The teenage son had alerted the rest of the household to the raging fire and managed to escape through the front door. His parents and brother then made their way to safety through the upstairs bathroom window.

The blaze broke out in Boughton Close, Twydall, in the early hours.

Three pumps from Medway and Sittingbourne and crews with breathing apparatus tackled the fire.

Later, as council workers boarded up the wrecked house a twig on the bathroom window sill re-ignited, causing a far smaller fire. Firefighters were recalled and quickly put that out.

Next door neighbours had been alerted to the blaze by the family. Janet Ferne said: “We suddenly heard this banging on our door and they said ‘there’s a fire, get out’. When we got outside the smoke was pouring out of the house. It was very thick.”

Mrs Ferne’s daughter Claire, 27, said: 2The fire was absolutely horrific. It took hold of the house very, very quickly. Thank God the family living there got out unhurt. They must be devastated now. Their home is ruined and they have lost everything.”

The blaze wrecked the first and ground floor of the house. Firefighters believe it was started by sparks from an electrical fault.