YOUNG Jacob Curtis and his family had a lucky escape from a blaze at their home after the five-year-old set fire to a mattress.

Firefighters raced to the house in Belfield Road, Accrington, at 8.45pm on Saturday to find mum Lee-Jayne Curtis, Jacob, his brother Jack, 7, Lee-Jayne's boyfriend Jason Hope and his son Charlie, 2, safe outside.

But the upstairs of the house was well alight.

Now Lee-Jayne and her boys could be left homeless after the fire destroyed the first floor of their home.

Lee-Jayne said: "I put the boys to bed and played on the computer in their room until I thought they were asleep.

"I went downstairs to chat to my boyfriend and his son when we heard the boys scream and realised the house was on fire."

When the couple raced upstairs they found a foam mattress well alight and the fire spreading through the rooms.

Lee-Jayne said: "It was terrifying. The boys were screaming and we had to lead them and our dog Pie past the billowing flames to get them downstairs and out of the house. "It turned out that I must have left a lighter in the boys' room and Jacob was playing with it until he set the foam mattress on fire. We are lucky to get out alive.

"Now our house is not fit to live in. I can stay with my dad for a few nights but I will have to get in touch with the housing department to see if they can find us somewhere else to live.

Firefighters have warned Jacob of the dangers of playing with fire, and he will attend counselling and education sessions with the Fire Brigade.

A Fire Brigade spokesman said: "This family got out by the skin of their teeth.

"This highlights how dangerous it is to play with matches and lighters."

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