Lili Sheppard

BBC News, Somerset

GLENN CUTTER Glenn Cutter looking at the camera with his dog in front of him. The dog is a brown boxer-style breed and Mr Cutter has a shaved head and is wearing sunglassesGLENN CUTTER

Glenn’s 12-year-old dog was recued from the fire which broke out on Saturday lunchtime

A man whose house was left damaged by a fire at the weekend has said it is “incredible” to be part of a community “that cares”.

Glenn Cutter, from Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset, was out with his rugby team on Saturday when he received a call to say his house was on fire.

Mr Cutter said he thought the call was a joke at first, but described driving up the road and seeing his house on fire as “absolutely terrifying”.

Despite his home being severely damaged he said he has been “very humbled” by the support from local residents and his fellow players.

Mr Cutter says he is having to repair most of his house

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the blaze was believed to be accidental, and had been traced to a tumble dryer.

Mr Cutter says as well as members of the community helping him, he “cannot thank the fire service enough” and describes them as being “just brilliant”.

As first mentioned on Burnham-on-Sea.com, fire crews were called to Priestley Way at 13:00 GMT on Saturday 15 February to tackle the blaze, which had started accidentally in a tumble dryer.

Mr Cutter has urged other people to check their insurance policies, as he did not have home insurance at the time of the fire.

He said: “I know there are going to be people who will call me a plonker as I had no home insurance, but honestly, I could kick myself.

“I had the quote up ready to go but thought ‘you know what, I’ll just have another quick look to see if I can get a better deal first’ and then it caught fire”, he added.

The property suffered substantial smoke damage and half the ground floor was destroyed, said Mr Cutter, adding that only two rooms seem to have been left intact.

He told BBC Radio Somerset that although numerous rooms, ceilings, walls and windows need replacing, he is grateful his property is still structurally sound.

Mr Cutter added: “Because I have a dog, I keep all the doors in my house shut which has made such a difference, as had I not done this I wouldn’t have a house to come back to.”

So far, more than £2,800 has been raised by his team mates at Burnham Rugby Club to go towards the cost of repairs.