A WOMAN last night spoke of how her family escaped though a broken window after a ferocious fire engulfed their North-East home.

Two women, four of their children and a visiting teenage boyfriend fled as flames spread through the house on Bede Terrace in Bowburn, near Durham City.

Carol Griffiths, 36, was upstairs when the smoke alarm alerted her to the fire downstairs shortly before 11pm on Tuesday.

Her 15-year-old daughter, Sarah, escaped with her boyfriend, Matthew Lee, 16, and Ms Griffiths' partner, Denise Pearson, and her daughter, Emily.

Ms Griffiths, who was calling the fire brigade, was left upstairs with Ms Pearson's other children, Callum, eight, and four-year-old Amy, who were in bed.

Ms Griffiths said: "The emergency services told me to stay in the room and keep the door shut, but I couldn't because I could hear the children in the next room.

"The room was black with smoke, so I couldn't see or breathe and I went in to feel around for them. I found them and dragged them downstairs."

Sarah had broken a ground floor window using her hand and Ms Griffiths handed Amy to a neighbour.

But when she was passing Callum out though the window, he started having an epileptic fit.

Maureen Reid, 50, was passing just as the family was escaping from the blazing house.

She said: "It was terrible. The house was on fire and the children were on the lawn screaming My mam's in there'.

"Then I saw Carol and she handed me the little girl, who was shaking, so I wrapped her in my scarf until the ambulance arrived.

"It could have been much worse though. You can replace a house, but you cannot replace your family."

Ms Pearson suffered cuts to her leg while clambering though the window and all seven needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

The house, and most of their property, has been destroyed by the blaze and Durham City Council is finding them new accommodation.

Police and firefighters are investigating the cause, but Ms Griffiths believes it was arson.

She added: "I think we have been deliberately targeted because of recent arguments.

"I am just relieved everyone is okay. That is the main thing."

Anyone with information can call police on 0845-60-60-365.