'Candle for Madeleine' destroys pensioner's home

Over 20 firefighters battled the blaze after the candle set light to curtains at the fourth-flat in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Flat owner Mary Luckham was rushed to safety by neighbours and escaped uninjured.

Jean Lester, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, was visiting her aunt in a neighbouring flat when the fire broke out.

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She said: "I came out of my aunt's flat and saw Mary in the corridor. She was very distressed.

"Smoke was billowing out of her door and she asked me if I could get some water because her curtains were on fire. When I saw how bad it was I said 'no, get out and close the door'.

"She told me that she had lit a candle for the missing girl, Madeleine, and placed a note by it in the hope it would help her safe return."

Mary was taken to an ambulance for health checks by a paramedic and returned to the building shortly after the fire at 11am last Tuesday (22nd May).

Pete Coombs, a spokesman for Avon Fire and Rescue, said: "We believe the blaze was started by a candle in the kitchen which set fire to the curtains.

"The biggest problem was getting water to the fourth floor so we used the boom arm of a fire engine to pump water in through the window on to the fire before crews gained entry to the flat.

"We also sent crews to look after and reassure some of the disabled residents in the building."