The Harefield community came together to help a family-of-seven turfed out on the street, after a fire gutted their home.
Mandy James and her whole family, including her partner, two sons, two daughters and her two-year-old granddaughter, were at home when their tumble drier caught fire.
Ms James was woken up by her partner in the early hours of Thursday, February 25, to the horror that the three-storey family home, at Sanctuary Close, Harefield was up in smoke and flames.
She told getwestlondon : “I thought I was dreaming. I couldn’t see anything it was so thick and black and the kids were shouting."
Mandy's partner suffered burns to his hands and stomach trying to put the fire out himself.
Speaking a day later, Ms James said: “He’s okay, we’re all living.
“Looking at the house though it’s just wow - if it had got to the middle floor I would’ve lost my daughter and granddaughter.
“It felt like hours but it happened in minutes. My neighbours and friends have been wonderful since.
“One of my neighbours called the fire brigade and three engines got there in minutes – they were all lovely.”
It took nearly five hours for firefighters to tackle the blaze, which damaged the ground and first floor.
A London Fire Brigade (LFB) spokesperson said: “We were called at 4am and the incident was over for us a 8:55am.
“A tumble drier caught alight and seven persons had left the building before the fire brigade had arrived.
“We had 14 firefighters and officers from Ruislip , Hillingdon and Harrow attending the blaze, in three fire engines.”
'There must be something in place for emergencies'
The entire family have been turfed out of their now unlivable home, gutted by the fire, and Mandy, who works two jobs at Harefield's ex-servicemen's club, is yet to be put up by Hillingdon Council .
Ms James was offered a place in Hayes but couldn't risk not being able to carry on working her much-loved jobs and dreads the possible thought of collecting benefits.
She said: “I’ve been here two years there must be something in place for emergencies like this. I need my family together.
“This job is so important to me, it’s a roof over my head and it’s a community - I love working here but I wouldn’t be able to carry it on in Hayes.
53-year-old Mandy suffered another blow when she went back to the house and an opportunist thief had entered the garage to find what was left in the property.
But despite the upheaval, the mother-of-four was 'overwhelmed' by the support and help she's had from the Harefield community since.
'A community that cares'
Neighbours rallied round offering clothes and toys, and a friend set up an online crowdfunding page to collect cash donations.
Ms James said: “People now need to hear about the good in the community and how people rally round people.
“I’ve been absolutely overwhelmed with the people of the village donating donating donating - I’ve been donated so much stuff I’ve had to say please stop!
“It was my granddaughter's birthday the day before and she lost everything, people have been donating non stop.
“I’ve lived here for 30 years and this is a community that cares, it really is.”
Ms James extended her thanks to Wendy Rice-Morley , Kirsty Nevin, Cllr Jane Palmer, as well as her work colleagues and neighbours.
Close pal Kirsty, who has known Mandy for many years, said: “As soon as I heard what happened, I set up page to help her so she could get the things that she will need once the house sorted.
“The fundraising is up to £250 so far.”
The 'Gofundme' page to help Mandy and her family can be found by clicking here .
