A Scots mum of two has been made homeless after she was forced to flee a horror blaze at her home.

Single mum Christine Baarman and her two kids Tyreece, 12, and Kacey, 19 fled their West Lothian home in their pyjamas after it went up in flames on Monday.

Neighbours didn't know if the 38-year-old and her family had made it out alive.

The family 'lost everything within minutes' and have now been left homeless, Edinburgh Live reports.

Christine's neighbour and friend, Lesley Blair, 40, has set up a fundraising page to raise vital cash for the family after the devastating blaze.

Recalling the moment she caught sight of the fire, she said: "It was 6:20am in the morning and I heard my neighbours shouting outside 'fire, fire'.

"I just opened my door, and I can see Christine's house, I looked and there was smoke coming from the roof and the next thing the whole house went up in flames.

"It all happened within minutes, we felt so useless and, at that point, we didn't know if Christine and the kids had got out, so those few minutes were just terrifying.

"It was just so quick but the whole block is in disrepair."

The family's house, which was part of a four-in-a-block building, has been left gutted by the fire and they are now living in temporary accommodation more than ten miles away.

She continued: "The family is in shock but overwhelmed by the kindness shown by everybody.

"Unfortunately, where they are living at the moment, they are twelve miles away from us but they just can't believe what's happened, losing everything within the space of a few minutes.

"It's just been heartbreaking for them, it really has."

More than £800 has already been raised for the family-of-three and a local moving and storage service has offered them a free unit to store any donations.

The blaze took hold 'within minutes'

"We want to help them so they don't have any worries, when they are rehoused they're going to have to start from scratch.

"We want the funds there so that they can go and get their carpets, blinds and make it a home for them because they really deserve it", Lesley said.

The 40-year-old mum has been amazed by the community's response to her appeal and says people have rallied to ensure the family can get back on their feet after the fire.

She said: "People just seem to want to help, I initially set the target as £500 because I didn't think we'd even get there. I can't believe it.

"Kacey didn't even have shoes on when she got out the house, Christine had her pyjamas on and the wee boy was the same. So, there's also been donations of clothes and toiletries from people who haven't got much themselves.

"Purdie Worldwide's in Blackburn have even given us a self-storage unit so that we can keep the donations in there until they are re-housed."

Christine is said to have been "absolutely overwhelmed and is truly grateful" for the community's support, with a neighbour taking her in after the fire when she was left "with no roof over her head for ten hours".

You can donate to the fundraiser here.