Mother and sons leap from blazing Gnosall home

A mother suffered serious leg injuries after jumping from her Staffordshire home to escape a fire.

Frankie Edmunds, aged 46, made the leap with her two sons Ben, 19, and Jake, 17, who also needed hospital treatment.

The fire is still under investigation but it is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

The smoke and flames forced the family to jump from the top floor of their maisonette in Gnosall, near Stafford, to a balcony on the first floor below.

The two sons were able to jump again to reach the ground but Mrs Edmunds had to be rescued by firefighters from the balcony because of her injuries. She has since undergone surgery at University Hospital of North Staffordshire for serious knee injuries.

Son Jake also suffered a fractured heel and both he and his brother were treated for smoke inhalation.

The blaze started in their home in Monks Walk at 1.45am on Saturday.

Mrs Edmunds's mother Lyn, aged 68, lives round the corner in Impstones.

She said: "It just happened at night. A fire alarm at the bottom of the stairs did not go off but the one at the top did.

"The fire service said it was an electrical fault – it's completely gutted the house and everything is smoke damaged. We were really shocked."

She said her daughter had jumped from the top floor to the balcony below .

"The ward sister has told me she had the operation on her kneecaps. Jake is limping.

"My daughter and sons have lived here for about 12 years" she added.

Tim Bishop, watch commander at Stafford Fire Station, said: "The occupants jumped to a balcony on a lower floor.

"I think they had a lucky escape as there were working smoke detectors. The property is not habitable."