Leeds family left devastated as house destroyed by fire the week before Christmas

Anne Grayshon, 62, had just left her house in Gildersome on Monday morning when she had a call from a neighbour to say the house was on fire.

Fire crews from Morley, Stanningley and Leeds rushed to the scene shortly after 9am and put out the flames, using two hose reels, four breathing apparatus and positive pressure ventilation.

But the effect of the fire, which was caused by a faulty fuse box, was devastating for Mrs Grayshon and her 24-year-old daughter Katie.

The fire ripped through the house and destroyed five rooms, with the kitchen left 'melted'.

The family had already prepared for Christmas and their presents, cards and food shop were destroyed in the fire, and rooms which Katie had just painted for Christmas were left smoke damaged.

Mrs Grayshon said: "This weekend I mopped everything, sorted all my cards out and had done all my shopping. I thought - right we’re ready for Christmas.

"Everything is now melted away, burnt.

"I’m just gutted. You don't know where to start, or what to do."

The family's two dogs and two cats amazingly escaped unharmed, with a dog trapped in the kitchen only surviving because it put it's head out of a cat flap to breathe.

Mrs Grayshon and her daughter are living in temporary accommodation while their house is repaired, but the work is expected to take at least three months.

Friends and family have visited the house and offered to clean, but soon put down their buckets upon seeing the extent of the damage.

Mrs Grayshon said: "The pictures don't do it justice, when people come round they see how bad it is.

"People have been really good, loads of people have asked if they can help but there is nothing anyone can do yet.

"It's just a mess."

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Mrs Grayshon's son, Alan Buckley, to raise money to cover the cost of repairs and lost Christmas gifts.

Writing on the page, Mr Buckley said: "I ask all my friends, family and associates in this time of need for any help you can.

"Anything at all, so we can at the very least replace the gifts and try to make this Christmas at the very least bearable."

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