A MOTHER who was evacuated after a fatal fire in Heston returned to find burglars had ransacked her flat.

Ewa Glowacka escaped with her 14-year-old daughter on July 10 during the blaze at a next door property in New Heston Road, in which a woman leapt to her death and a man was later found dead inside his flat.

When the 36-year-old hairdresser returned three weeks later, having been prevented from going back earlier by the police investigation, she was horrified to find it had been emptied by opportunistic thieves.

They had cut through the police padlock and taken an estimated £1,000 worth of valuables, including her TV, PlayStation games console and gym equipment.

"I went back to check my post and I couldn’t believe what had happened," she said. "I can’t believe someone would do this after what happened that morning. I’ve lost almost everything and I wasn’t insured so I can’t replace it."

Mrs Glowacka, who works at the hairdressers Salon 15 below her old flat, and her daughter were placed in temporary accommodation in Slough by Hounslow Council for three weeks after the fire.

They have since been moved to a single bedroom at shared accommodation in Cranford, but she says this is cramped and dirty.

She has no idea when she will be able to return to her old flat, the roof of which was badly damaged by the flames, as she said her landlord is still in talks with the insurance company.

She said the council had offered to help her with the deposit on an alternative privately rented property but it was impossible to find somewhere she could afford to accommodate herself, her daughter and their dog.

A council spokesman admitted the situation was not ideal but said it was actively working to help her find somewhere in the private sector.