A mother rescued her three youngest children after fire swept though their home yesterday.

The drama happened almost five years after a similar incident.

Mum-of-eight Lindsay White helped three-year-old Jodie and four-year-old twins David and Jessica out of the house in West Royd Crescent, Windhill, Shipley, after she found them cowering in a smoke-filled downstairs room.

Mrs White had been up-stairs changing bedding when the blaze broke out in the living room of the family's privately-rented house yesterday afternoon.

Her husband Dave was outside in the garden at the time, unaware of what was happening.

No one was hurt in the blaze but it badly damaged the living room and bedrooms.

The family was temporarily sheltered in a British Red Cross fire-victim support unit.

It is believed the fire was started by one of the children playing with a cigarette lighter.

Almost five years ago Mrs White, who was six months pregnant at the time, saved her son Ben, now five, from a burning bed after he had been playing with a cigarette lighter.

Ben, then aged seven months, suffered burns to his legs and fingers after the house fire in Sandholme Drive, Thorpe Edge, Bradford.

Speaking yesterday, Mrs White said: "I can't believe we have had another fire.

"I don't know how they got the lighter because mine was in my pocket at the time.

"I never leave them lying around the house, but believe she might have climbed up to a cupboard where I kept them out of the way.

"I want to warn other people to keep their lighters out of reach of the children.

"I was hysterical at the time it happened and wouldn't want anyone else to go through this."

Station Officer Chris Booth, of Shipley fire station, said: "Luckily they did have smoke detectors that alerted them to the fire."

Norman Brickley, fire-victim support service co-ordinator, was in the Peugeot motor home helping the family cope with the disaster.

"I've made contact with the landlord who owns the premises," said Mr Brickley. "He is sending his father round as the house needs boarding up. We've also assisted the family to find alternative accommodation with family and friends."

Run and funded by the British Red Cross, the caravanette is based at Idle fire station and can be called out by any fire crew across West Yorkshire.

A team of 26 volunteers are on permanent standby to provide immediate emergency assistance and support to families burned out of their homes.