A family made a dramatic escape from a house fire at the weekend after a candle lit in tribute to the Pope sparked a blaze in their home.

Christian Karen Jinks lit the candle on the mantelpiece of their home in Crewe Road, Shavington, on hearing news of the death of Pope John Paul II on Saturday night.

Together with her husband Mark, the couple were babysitting their 20-month-year-old grandson Thomas when they were alerted something was wrong by their dogs barking.

Although Karen had blown out the candle, the heat smouldered on in the wooden frame of a mirror, causing a blaze while they slept.

Mark, who is a plasterer, said: "We were woken by the dogs, which were going frantic and it was then we noticed the smoke coming under the door.

"We realised the house was on fire and leapt up grabbing the baby and made our way downstairs through the smoke and outside.

"I then went back inside to get the dogs. The black smoke was terrible, but the firefighters were on the scene in minutes."

Firefighters in breathing apparatus took over and searched through the dense smoke to find the four dogs hiding under a table and behind the settee.

Unfortunately the fire had ripped through their home, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Karen, who attends St Andrew's Church in Crewe, lit the candle out of respect for the Pope's death.

She said: "Someone up there was obviously looking after us, because it was a miracle we all got out alive."