A DUNFERMLINE dad has spoken of the moment he and his family had to flee their burning home after a tumble drier caught fire.

Iain Clark, wife Emma and children Ellie, six, and one year-old Daniel, and their pet dog escaped from their Willowbank Brae house however their cat, Oliver, who was sleeping upstairs, died in the blaze, which happened last Tuesday evening.

Much of the house was destroyed by the fire and they are now coming to terms with the tragedy while staying with family.

"We were having normal family fun," he said. "We had done a bit of washing, doing towels and underwear, which is all we use the tumble drier for. We put it in the tumble drier and turned it on, we made sure it was clean and all the water was out.

"There was a burning smell so I turned it (the tumble drier) off and opened the back door to let the smell out. That has happened before and that is what we have done and everything has been fine.

"I went back through and took Daniel's clothes off and was about to put his pyjamas on so he was just in his nappy. All of a sudden, the smoke alarm was going off and I looked at the door and saw black smoke coming through the kitchen door into the living room."

The couple grabbed a blanket to wrap around Daniel who was wearing just a nappy and got out into the street.

"I got them out of the house and made sure they were all out and I had to go back in to get a phone," said Iain. "I had said phone 999 and realised we didn't have a phone. I could just find Emma's and I got the dog out as well.

"I put my head round the corner and looked to see what was going on and I saw the flames coming from behind the tumble drier and ran outside.

"I was just in pyjama bottoms. I didn't have socks and shoes on or a top. I phoned 999 and it felt like forever but they were here within 10 minutes which would have been the time it took to get from where the station is to our house but it felt like forever standing and seeing the flames coming out the back of the house."

Iain said they were doing "the best they can" in the situation and said Kingdom Housing had identified a temporary – possibly long-term new home.

"We are still getting flashbacks and sometimes when I close my eyes, I see flames," added Iain. "Everything downstairs, in the kitchen and living room, is gone. It has all just gone. The insurance say they are going to try and repair it. If it doesn't take too long, we may be back in.

"However, we were speaking the other night and we don't think we would feel safe. Kingdom have said they think they have found us a house so if it takes too long, then we will be kept there anyway.

"We have so many memories in the house. The night of the fire, we had videoed our wee boy being silly and having so much fun but I have not had the courage to watch that back. To think, an hour later, the house was up in flames."

Since Tuesday, the family have been inundated with offers of support from neighbours, friends and members of the public wanting to help.

A gofundme page set up by neighbour Laura Westwater has raised more than £2,000 to help.

"The support has been unbelievable," added Iain. "We cannot believe how much people are doing. We are so overwhelmed with the amount of support and stuff that we are getting off people.

"Especially with the cost-of-living crisis going on, it is crazy how much people have given."

Anyone wanting to help can donate at https://gofund.me/430a9c00.