A COUPLE lost all their possessions and a cherished pet dog in a fire which destroyed their home.

Sean Sharp and his wife, Vicky, returned home from work yesterday to find their home in Worcester Road, Blackburn, a burned-out shell.

Firefighters rescued their rottweiler Babe but it died shortly after from burns and smoke inhalation. The blaze, believed to have started in the living room, destroyed all rooms in the house and all of the couple's furniture, clothes and belongings.

Today, firefighters were investigating the cause of the fire but it is not believed to be suspicious. Neighbour Charmaine Gent, who lives opposite the house, raised the alarm at 12.15pm after she saw smoke coming out the house.

Other neighbours, fearful that Sean or Vicky could still be trapped, kicked the door in but were beaten back by smoke. They rescued two other dogs in the back garden.

Charmaine said: "The fire took hold quickly and the windows were black with smoke. They shattered. Some of the lads on the estate tried to help but it was too bad by then."

Neighbour and friend Wendy Walton, 27, said she was in the bath when she smelled smoke coming into her house.

"My first thought was for Vicky because she's usually in at that time but, thankfully, she'd gone out. They're a lovely couple and they've lost everything.

"Both of them, especially Vicky, were devoted to their dog and they're heartbroken to lose her."

Leading Firefighter Ian Turnball of Blackburn Fire Station said fire crews were called to Worcester Road around 12.15pm. Two hours later they received a hoax call saying people were trapped at a house in Laburnum Road, Little Harwood.

He said: "If that hoax call had been received when we were attending the real fire on Worcester Road our resources would have been severely stretched."

Insp Stewart Bruce of Blackburn Police said he was satisfied the cause of the fire was not deliberate.

Sean, a nightclub worker, and Vicky, a cleaner, are believed to be talking to Twin Valley Homes about rehousing.