A mother dragged her three sons to safety in a blaze which gutted the top floor of a house in Bradford and destroyed the youngsters' Christmas presents.

Four-year-old Brett Wainwright was playing with matches in the second floor bedroom of the property in Oddy Street, off Tong Street, when he set a Christmas tree on fire.

As he ran for cover the burning tree toppled on to a bed and the blaze spread to the children's Christmas toys.

Kay Wainwright, 34, was alerted to last night's drama by her seven-year-old son Aaron, who spotted flames licking around the room, which he shares with Brett.

She said the youngster stood on the landing screaming for help.

Miss Wainwright dashed upstairs to grab her children. She said: "All I could see was smoke coming from the bedroom."

She grabbed the four-year-old and led his two elder brothers to safety before phoning the fire brigade.

"I got the boys outside and we just watched the fire from the garden while we waited for help to arrive.

"They were terrified. None of us got any sleep last night."

The heat from the fire was so intense it shattered a window - letting in more air to fuel the flames.

Miss Wainwright, who is on income support, said: "Now they've got nothing left, the whole lot has gone up - all their toys and clothes.

"Aaron has been so upset, he got an electric drum machine for Christmas which has gone, they've even lost their bunk beds.

"They're back at school next week and I don't know what we are going to do. They've only got their pyjamas and a few clothes I had in the washing machine."

Her eldest son, James, 12, who has a bedroom on the first floor, managed to save many of his belongings. The matches were kept by Miss Wainwright to light the gas fire.

The family last night stayed with Miss Wainwright's brother, Gary Wainwright, in neighbouring Cordingley Street.

Miss Wainwright said she rented the house from her sister but had no insurance to cover the damage.

Crews from Odsal and Pudsey were called to the blaze at 8.15pm.

But the flames had already taken hold, sweeping through the room and destroying the children's toys.

Sub-Officer Paul McNamara said it caused extensive damage to the room and the family were lucky to escape.

"It was an unusually severe fire. The four-year-old boy had been playing with matches and set the Christmas tree alight.

"He didn't know what to do, so he went and sat at the top of the stairs. Fortunately his brother spotted the flames and shouted for his mum.

"All the kids' Christmas toys have been destroyed. But the family are just thankful no-one was injured.

"I would urge parents to be extremely vigilant and keep matches or lighters away from children."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.