Black Country family who escaped death in house blaze off to Lapland

The Bullocks were the victim of a mechanical fault on a TV which caused nearly £140,000 damage to their home.

But they are now set to go to Lapland this Christmas after winning a competition with The Midcounties Co-operative Travel.

Samuel Bullock, aged 30, said: "There were six of us in the house at the time.

"It was owned by my father-in-law who was in, there was my partner, my two year old son and my sister-in-law and her partner were in.

"The battery had gone in the fire alarm and I'd taken it down two days before, so no alarm went off.

"It was 5.03am when it started and I woke up sweating from the heat.

"I just sprung to action, got everyone out and called the fire services – they told me if it was a few minutes later we'd have all been dead and to realise how lucky we'd been. The lounge was gutted, half the kitchen was gutted and there was smoke damage throughout."

Three ambulances, two fire engines and two police cars were called out to the blaze which destroyed all of the toys belonging to Thomas who was then just two-year-old.

The Bullocks, who live in Wednesfield, were then moved out for the following eight months in what was a difficult period.

Mr Bullock said: "The first Christmas was horrendous. I had to buy everything on my credit card and there came a point when I'd ran out of money.

"Travelling about and the whole experience was horrific really."

Having now bought the house from his father-in-law, Mr Bullock, who now works for the AA, is delighted things are finally back on track.

He said: "We are absolutely over the moon. This trip will be just magical for our children and as a family, we can't wait to make some really lovely Christmas memories."

The Midcounties Co-operative Travel Agent's Golden Ticket competition saw promotional chocolate bars handed out to customers booking an overseas holiday between October 1 and November 11 with one chocolate bar containing the winning Golden Ticket.

It was the lucky Bullock family who discovered the winning ticket when they visited their local Wednesfield branch to book their holiday to Florida next year.

Now Samuel, Rachael and seven-year-old Thomas Bullock and niece Skye Yates, have won a three-night trip to Lapland from December 12.

They stay in the Levi Panorama hotel with access to ski slopes, bars, restaurants and shops and the chance to meet Santa and his reindeer.

Worth £3,400, the trip will see the Bullock family meet Santa in his workshop just a couple of weeks before Christmas.