A Suffolk community is rallying round a family who lost everything in a devastating fire at their home.

The family fled as fire tore through the thatched roof cottage in Barningham, gutting the property and destroying everything inside.

A Go Fund Me page 'Family of Barningham house fire' has now been set up to raise money for the family, who have not been named but are understood to be staying locally, by Sophie Byrom and Faye Lucy Hawkins.

Ms Byrom was a neighbour of the couple and their two children, who escaped without injury, and who helped them on the night their home went up in flames.

She said: "The family are understandably still in shock and overwhelmed. They've been so brave.

"The community is pulling together to help them to get through the next few days and then to help them slowly rebuild their home and lives.

"It was devastating to stand by their sides and watch helplessly as their home disappeared in front of them."

Ms Byrom said she had been at home with her nine-year-old son Benny when the fire broke out, at around 9.30pm on Tuesday January 21.

She proudly told how Benny helped settle the family's two children while she helped their parents.

"We heard a scream and then saw the horrific flames from our back door," she said.

"He was understandably also shocked by what he was witnessing and yet his strength and kindness in a very stressful and emotional scene was unbelievable.

"He helped me get their two sons safely to our home in the warm so they didn't have to watch their home alight.

"Benny then got them duvets, hot chocolates, snacks, put the television on and sat with them whilst I helped the parents."

Ms Byrom said she was boxing donations of food, clothes, toiletries, dog supplies as well as the Go Fund Me Page.

At the height of the blaze there were 16 fire engines from Suffolk and Norfolk sent to tackle it.

An investigation into the cause is now underway but Suffolk fire officers say the property was so severely damaged it may be impossible to establish.