Repairs to a young couple's home, severely damaged in a suspected arson attack, are likely to cost £15,000.

Mother-of-two Helen James, 21, lost most of her possessions when fire broke out in the two-bedroomed terrace house in North Drive, Didcot.

As reported in later editions of the Oxford Mail yesterday, Ms James and her partner Gary Kerr, 19, may now have to put their wedding plans on hold.

The family is expected to be rehoused temporarily while the house is repaired.

Lisa Flynn, of owners South Oxfordshire Housing Association, said insurers had estimated the cost of repairs at £15,000, and the work would take eight to ten weeks.

Ms James, her daughters Charlotte, two-and-a-half, and Mayzie, aged five months, and Mr Kerr were away from Didcot when the fire was spotted on Monday night.

Ministry of Defence police at Vauxhall Barracks next door, raised the alarm at midnight when they saw smoke.

The blaze, which destroyed most of the furniture and belongings on the ground floor, was so hot that it melted a television set upstairs, said fire service sub officer Grahame Davis.

Fire crews from Didcot and Abingdon used a thermal imaging camera to help make sure no-one was in the property.

MoD police also alerted next-door-neighbours Georgina Connolly, her son Christopher and his girlfriend Lorraine Hamblin who had all gone to bed.

They escaped unhurt although their house was extensively smoke-damaged upstairs.

Police and a fire service investigation officer stayed at the scene yesterday and inquiries are continuing.

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