Family razed their 400-year-old dream cottage to the ground just three days after moving in - when wood-burning stove set fire to its thatched roof

A household have been left homeless at Christmas after their £865,000 cottage burnt to the bottom simply three days after they moved in once they lit a wooden burner and it set hearth to the thatched roof.

The Purdy household from Hertfordshire had barely settled into their 400-year-old Grade II-listed dream dwelling when it was razed to the bottom by the blaze earlier this month.

The household had wished to heat up the five-bedroom property so lit their wood-burner for the primary time simply days after transferring in.

The Purdy household, who've been left homeless after their £865,000 thatched cottage burnt to the bottom simply three days after they moved in

Paul and Sophie Purdy with their youngsters Oliver and Sophie have now been left homeless by the blaze, which was sparked after the household lit a wooden burner within the property for the primary time, which set hearth to the thatched roof 

Father Paul Purdy holds one-year-old daughter Madeleine as they survey the harm to their dwelling in Nice Hormead, Hertfordshire

Mom Sophie Purdy and daughter Madeleine peer by way of the window of their destroyed home. After the thatched roof caught hearth, the flames unfold all through the cottage, which burned for hours

Mrs Purdy, pictured, sits on the particles exterior the house. She has spoken of the household's devastation saying that they've misplaced all the things, though they managed to salvage some footage of the youngsters

However the thatched roof caught hearth and flames unfold all through the cottage, which burned for hours.

Emergency companies rushed to the scene and hearth crews battled to save lots of Hormead Cottage in Nice Hormead in Hertfordshire.

However they have been unable to salvage the house and now police sergeant Paul Purdy, 38, his spouse Sophie, 32 and their youngsters Oliver, three, and one-year-old Madeleine, at the moment are homeless for Christmas.

Mrs Purdy stated: 'We're completely devastated and have misplaced all the things. Fortuitously we managed to rescue portraits of the youngsters.

'The home had stood within the village for 400 years, however only some days after we transfer in, it burns down, so we really feel fairly unfortunate.

The property earlier than the hearth. The Purdy household paid £865,000 for the house after seeing the property describing the cottage as their 'dream dwelling' 

Firefighters attempt to douse the flames after the hearth was sparked earlier this month. At first they thought they may cease the hearth nevertheless it rapidly unfold 

Firefighters raced to the scene after the blaze erupted on December 1, pictured, however regardless of their greatest efforts, they have been unable to save lots of the home 

The entrance of the cottage within the instant aftermath of the hearth displaying the ruins and the burned stays of the thatched roof

'We now have not heard again from the insurance coverage firm but however we hope to rebuild as soon as we're capable of.

'Though it was the worst day of our lives, it was top-of-the-line days for Oliver, as he beloved seeing all the hearth engines and even received to sit down in a single.

'He does hold speaking about his new room although, and we do not actually have the guts to inform him that he would not have a room any extra.

'We at the moment are mainly homeless, and have been compelled to remain at a lodge till we kind one thing out.'

The Purdys first noticed the five-bedroom cottage six months in the past and fell in love with the property.

The couple, who've been collectively for 14 years, then moved from their four-bedroom semi-detached home in Stotfold, Bedfordshire on the finish of November.

Now the 400-year-old cottage is only a shell of its former self and the thatched roof on prime has been utterly destroyed and not exists

Though the chimney, pictured, nonetheless stands, the partitions round it collapsed within the hearth. Since then, individuals in the area people have created a fundraising web page to assist assist the household of their hour of want

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Fireplace and Rescue confirmed that the hearth firstly of this month is being dominated as unintended. Pictured are the entrance rooms, which have been utterly destroyed 

It's not recognized how the hearth began, the hearth service service has dominated it as unintended. It started in the midst of the home's three chimney in a comfortable.

The blaze was found by Mr Purdy when he observed smoke within the backyard at round lunch, shortly after the couple lit the hearth.

Mrs Pury stated: 'To start with I used to be completely devastated once I noticed the hearth and it was just a bit little bit of thatch. When the hearth service got here they stated it will be a bit of part that would wish repairing.

'I cried at that time, then once I noticed the roof collapsing on our bed room I realised how vital it was.

'Paul needed to maintain me again down the road at one level. I used to be checking on the youngsters who have been with the neighbours subsequent door. He stated you do not need you to see it however I pushed previous him.

A poster caught to a tree warning individuals to sat away from the burned out home after the council dominated it was a 'harmful construction' 

'I went and noticed the flames going by way of the youngsters bedrooms. That is once we each held one another and cried, our dream over.

'A fireman then came visiting and requested us if we wished something rescued as a result of the roof was about to break down. They went in and received portraits of my children once they have been three months outdated.

'Paul did not need them to go in to get anything as a result of it was too harmful.

'We have misplaced all of the household footage, all of Madeleine's first birthday presents from November. All the things has gone now, we have been left with the garments on our backs.

'We even misplaced the Christening candles for the youngsters, fortunately the our earlier native church, St Mary's in Stotfold, provided a blessing.'

Mrs Purdy, a undertaking director for BT, added: 'No person will ever know what occurred. 

The household had solely wished to heat up the five-bedroom property so lit their wood-burner, which set hearth to the thatched roof. Pictured is the again a part of the home, which nonetheless has a part of the thatched roof remaining 

All that is still on the again half the 400-year-old cottage, pictured, is the brickwork after the thatched roof and wooden inside the house burned down

The inside of the home is now full of the particles of the thatched roof in addition to the wooden from inside beams which have collapsed  

'It's heartbreaking as we had purchased our dream home after first seeing it about six-months in the past and we have been actually trying ahead to it.

'As for Christmas, we're most likely going to spend it at my mum's home. We're nearly to purchase all of the presents once more as we misplaced all those we had purchased within the hearth.'

For the reason that devastating hearth individuals in the area people have created a fundraising web page to assist assist the household of their hour of want.

Reverend Kate Peacock, rector of St Nicholas' Church, has positioned a e-book within the church, permitting individuals to pledge their assist and gives of assist to the Purdys.

As well as, a GoFundMe web page has been set as much as assist the household, and to date, near £three,000 has been donated.

For the reason that devastating hearth, the household have been staying at Mrs Purdy's mom's home in Holt in Norfolk. Pictured are Mr and Mrs Purdy with their daughter Madeleine 

For the reason that devastating hearth individuals in the area people have created a fundraising web page to assist assist the household of their hour of want

Mr and Mrs Purdy with their daughter inside Mrs Purdy's mom's dwelling in Norfolk, the place they're at present staying. The Purdys are planning on rebuilding the Grade II listed home as quickly as potential

Mrs Purdy defined: 'The assist we've obtained from the neighborhood has been completely overwhelming.

'Everybody has been so superb, from the hearth service, to the police, to the farmers who assisted the crews in providing tons of of 1000's of gallons of water to assist put out the hearth.

'Though we've misplaced all the things, in some methods, we've all the things we want, and I am unable to thank everybody sufficient for his or her assist.'

An insurance coverage declare is at present being processed. The Purdys are planning on rebuilding the Grade II listed home as quickly as potential.

A part of the home, an extension together with a kitchen and en suite tub, survived the hearth. This a part of the constructing was not listed and the whole listed constructing was destroyed.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Fireplace and Rescue confirmed that the hearth is being dominated as unintended.

 

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