Nine people, a dog and two reptiles had a lucky escape after a fire destroyed a bungalow in Wolverhampton.

Fiona Acton and her five children were asleep at their rented home, in Clark Road, Newbridge, when the blaze took hold in the utility room.

Her friend Abi Douthwaite, aged 23, and her two children had also been sleeping in the property when the smoke alarm sounded just after 10.20am yesterday.

She awoke to her children yelling the house was on fire and everyone fled, grabbing Fiona’s German Shepherd Zeus, her bearded dragon called Ramoth and her Bosk monitor Lizard called Sassi.

A fourth pet, a Burmese python called Orchid, died during the blaze and Fiona’s cat Jack is still missing.

Fire crews are still investigating the cause of the fire.

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