A NINE-year-old boy sparked a massive blaze at his home after setting fire to his bedroom curtains with an aerosol can and lighter.

Tracy Bond, 35, and her five children were forced to flee their home in Rectory Road, Burnley, yesterday morning.

The family were looking forward to spending half-term together.

Instead, they have been left devastated at losing their toys, clothes and possessions.

Tracy said her son Nick, who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and learning difficulties, had managed to get hold of a lighter and was playing when he tried to light the fumes from an aerosol can.

The flames quickly spread from the curtains to the window.

Nick, who goes to St Peter’s Primary School, ran into his mum’s bedroom as the smoke detector was set off.

Tracy said: “We had only just woken up. Two of the children were watching TV, two were still asleep and Nick was playing in his room.

"The first thing I knew anything was wrong was the fire alarm started going off and Nick ran into my room.

"I just panicked. I grabbed the children and a phone and ran them outside.

“As I got the three middle children out I shouted to my eldest daughter who was asleep in the basement to get up and I ran back up the stairs to get my baby girl who was still asleep in the room next door to the fire.

“I was terrified. Everything has gone. All the clothes, shoes, toys, TV’s, everything.

"We are all still in shock. All we have is the clothes we are standing in.

"We were really looking forward to these holidays. The children had just come back from their dads and we were going to go to the cinema and just enjoy being a family.”

Neighbours living behind the Stoneyholme family also tried to raise the alarm when they spotted flames at the window of the terraced house at 9.30am.

All the family, including Tracy, Rebecca, 18, Nick, nine, Jessica, eight, Leon, five and Chloe, two, managed to escape without serious injury.

Nick received treatment for smoke inhalation but did not need to go to hospital.

Their two cats and Olivia and Sparkle were also rescued by firefighters with one of them receiving oxygen from paramedics after being found ‘worse for wear’ under a duvet.

Tracy added: “I can’t stress enough how important smoke alarms are. Without ours who knows what would have happened.

"I urge everyone, especially parents, to make sure they are working. They saved our lives.”

Burnley Fire Station watch manager Pete Ashworth said: “The family will be re-housed by the local authority because the property is not fit to live in.

"There’s damage to the electricity supply too.

“Thankfully, when the fire started the mother managed to get all the children out in time.”

Tracy, Rebecca and Chloe will now stay with friends in Accrington Road, Burnley, while Nick, Jessica and Leon will move in with their dad until the damage is repaired.