TRIMLEY ST MARY: A couple are today picking up the pieces after a fire destroyed their possessions for the second time in just six months.

A devastating blaze broke out in the living room of their rented house, in Welbeck Close, Trimley St Mary, at about 9.45pm last night, leaving the room badly smoke-damaged and valuable items such as their flat screen television unusable.

In a tragic twist, the couple are still recovering after a fire at their holiday complex in Great Yarmouth six months ago destroyed all the possessions they had brought with them.

The man, known by his nickname of Teddy, has lived at the bungalow for the past three months with his 25-year-old girlfriend, whose mother was visiting at the time of the incident.

Teddy, 22, said: “Our dog Rocky escaped and legged it up the road so we ran out after it. While we were out of the house, a few sparks landed on the dogs’ bed pillows. You couldn’t see it from the outside, but my girlfriend walked in and saw it. I tried to stamp on it and put out.”

Teddy said he believed the sparks could have come from a gas fire. He thought the flames were out, but the trio waited in the garden for the fire service to arrive as a precaution – and heard a loud bang from inside the house as the flames spread.

Two fire crews from Felixstowe were at the scene within 10 minutes and used two sets of breathing apparatus as they fought the flames. They put the fire out by 10.03pm, but stayed at the bungalow to damp down and clear the property of smoke.

Teddy said: “We were on holiday six months ago and there was a fire from an electrical fault.

“It destroyed all the stuff we brought with us. We lost all our clothes and everything we had with us, so to come back and have this happen is a bit much.”

He thanked the fire officers who attended speedily, adding: “We definitely need to save the firefighters. This just shows how much we need to have the firefighters here.”

The repairs are expected to run into thousands of pounds due to the level of smoke damage from the fire.

n Do you have any words of support for the beleaguered couple? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.