A family and their pets were today homeless after a fire ripped through their lounge.

The blaze was discovered at about 1.45pm yesterday after the council house tenant, of Edmund Road, Witham, returned from getting milk from the shops.

The man, known as Kevin, is understood to have left his television on for his dogs. The blaze is thought to have started with the television.

The man, his wife and young daughter were all unharmed but the 20 per cent fire and smoke damage to the rest of their home left it unsafe to stay in.