A MUM-OF-TWO whose home was destroyed in a terrifying blaze has warned others to make their homes safe.

Mary Rose Brennan was forced to flee with her two young children just before Christmas after the fire broke out in an upstairs cupboard.

The young mum, who is studying for an HND in media at Glasgow Clyde College, is now hoping to raise funds in support of the fire fighters charity to thank them for their help.

The fire tore through Mary Rose's modest family home in Cardonald four days before Christmas last year after a freezer malfunctioned.

Within five minutes, the student and her two kids Kiera,11, and Daniel, 6, were out on the street and watched their home burn down before their eyes.

Mary Rose said: " That day I had to stand there and watching my whole house burn down, and everything I owned destroyed.

"While everyone was running away from that house these men, the firefighters, turned up and they were running into it.

"I remember thinking afterwards they didn't even hesitate -- This is an every day occurrence for them and it's sheer bravery.

"I wanted to give even the smallest amount back. Anything at all I can give to them is worth it, and to raise awareness of the charity too."

Mary will host a Ladies' night in Bar Groove on Union Street on Friday May 8, and hopes to raise as much money as possible for the organisation.

Now she is living in a different flat in Cardonald after locals pulled together to find clothes, furniture and appliances for her following the tragedy.

Mary said: "We're in a different house now as the old one is still lying empty.

"We were donated everything from members of the community, everyone was so amazing and went over and above what I could have imagined.

"I was so overwhelmed by the generosity of everybody.

"The kids and me are starting to settle now but it's taken us a long time to sit in a house, knowing none of the stuff was mine and knowing what happened.

"Now we're very scared when it comes to fire or if we think we smell smoke. We've got fire extinguishers in the house, special plugs, smoke alarms in nearly every room.

"It's made us very aware that it can happen at any time and it's unavoidable sometimes.

"That's why I want to raise awareness of it, people think that just having one battery powered smoke alarm is enough...They don't know where to put either.

"Sometimes it doesn't matter how many precautions you take its unavoidable.

"With us it wasn't as if it was an open flame, there was no stopping it.

A spokesman for The Fire Fighters Charity' said: "The Fire Fighters Charity is hugely grateful to Mary for her support.

"We are the UK's leading provider of life-enhancing services for the fire and rescue community and it is through the generous donations and fundraising activities of people like Mary that we raise the £8 million needed each year to ensure we are here to help firefighters in their time of need."

hannah.rodger@eveningtimes.co.uk