A mother whose family lost everything in a devastating flat fire has thanked neighbours for their amazing response in donating food, furniture and clothes to help them recover.
Anna Jakusova was left with nothing but the clothes she was standing in when the blaze tore through her flat in St Edmundsbury Way, North Lynn at around 3.10pm on Saturday, June 23.
Screaming for help, she used bags to carry the family's six puppies out of the flat, while neighbour Paul Sharpin helped lift her two dogs and three children over the back fence to safety.
Everything inside appears to have been destroyed, with heavy smoke damage to at least three other properties in the block of flats. A neighbour's Volkswagen Passat was also destroyed.
But in the face of disaster, Mrs Jakusova's neighbours have rallied round to help, with mother-of-five Melanie Bridges putting a post in the Facebook group Free to a Good Home Norfolk asking for any donations to those affected.
The response has been amazing, with clothes, food and furniture donated to help the family get back on their feet.
In a statement, Mrs Jakusova said: 'Thank you to all who are helping.'
Ms Bridges added that she would like to thank Emma Brock, who works at Fairstead Community Shop, as well as Charlie Barfoot and Luke Loades who organised and donated a storage unit for the items to be held.
Units 226 to 228 at 24-7 Self Store in Rollesby Road, King's Lynn, open Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm and between 9.30am and 1pm on Saturday, will now hold the donations.
Of the appeal, Ms Bridges said: 'It was amazing - I wasn't expecting that. It was overwhelming.'
Asked why she had set up the appeal, she said: 'I had a thought that if it was me and my family and we lost everything, I just hope someone would help.
'To lose everything and having to replace that when you've lost your home and belongings - I just felt devastated for her. It just got to me.'
Mrs Jakusova's neighbour Emma Webber, whose flat luckily escaped any serious fire damage, said: 'There's been a lot of people donating stuff. That's brilliant - I'm amazed at how the community has come together and we are really grateful.'
Mrs Jakusova, who was also treated for shock at the scene after escaping her burning flat, is currently staying with relatives.
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