A family lost their home and belongings in a devastating blaze early yesterday.

Smoke alarms gave an early warning and saved Mark Wickenden, his wife Clare Speight and their children Rosie, nine, and George, two.

They were woken shortly after midnight at their semi-detached Victorian house in Waldegrave Road, Brighton.

The fire broke out in an electrical intake box under the stairs on the ground floor.

It caused a power cut and meant the family had to find an escape route in total darkness.

Mr Wickenden, a 40-year-old butcher, took George from his bedroom across the hall on the first floor while his wife grabbed Rosie from a loft room.

They went downstairs and found the front door cut off by smoke. Their only way out was through the locked back patio doors but the keys were not on their hook.

Mr Wickenden said: "The children were crying and I was getting nervous.

"We fumbled around in the dark and finally found the keys on a worktop and we got out.

"I was going to turn round and get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire but in those few seconds the flames and thick black smoke were licking up the stairwell."

Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control but Station Officer Andy Gausden said without the alarms it would have meant a rescue from bedroom windows.

Clare Speight was in tears when she inspected the damage later: "We had just finished decorating and cleaning the carpets."

The family, who escaped in their nightclothes, were staying with friends last night before moving into rental accommodation while repairs are carried out.

Friends and family were helping provide clothes for the children.

Mr Wickenden said he spent the past seven years restoring the house with original fixtures.

"I'm devastated but no one was hurt and that was the most important thing."

Station Officer Andrew Gausden said the blaze demonstrated how important smoke alarms were.

He said homeowners can have alarms fitted free by the fire service by calling 0845 2300 252.

Mr Gausden said a new fire brigade campaign was being launched to get homeowners to formulate escape plans in case they ever find themselves in a blaze.

Mr Wickenden put his support behind the campaign, saying: "Get smoke alarms and have a plan of escape."