A TERRIFIED mother has told how a desperate search was launched when her son went missing as a blaze ripped through her home.

Mother of four Debbie Reeves, 32, was dozing on her settee when she was woken by one of her children to discover her home filled with flames and smoke.

She alerted the fire brigade but could not find her youngest son, six-year-old Kieron.

When firefighters arrived they launched a search of the house in Starkie Street, Darwen.

The youngster was eventually found 30 minutes later at his father's house in a nearby street.

The terrace house was badly damaged and most of the family's possessions were destroyed, leaving the mum and four children homeless.

Debbie said: "It was a really frightening experience. The first I knew about it was when I was woken up by my eldest Curtis.

"No one knew where Kieron was and we could not find him for about half an hour.

"It was a terrible experience to go through.

"Some friends have put us up for a couple of days but I don't really know where we are going to go from there."

It is believed youngsters playing with a lighter started the fire in an upstairs room.

Darwen fire brigade Sub Officer Tony Keane said: "When we first arrived the house was well alight and it was believed there was a young boy in the house.

"Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched the house but after ten minutes we were told the boy had gone to a relative's house.

"It appears that the fire went undetected for several hours.

"If a smoke alarm had been fitted in the house the damage caused to the property would have been a lot less."

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