A COUPLE who had prepared a nursery in their home for their unborn child were shattered when the room caught on fire, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

A COUPLE who had prepared a nursery in their home for their unborn child were shattered when the room caught on fire, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Chris Swordy, of Nelson Close, High Wycombe, was preparing to go out with his wife Amanda - who is eight months pregnant - on Friday at about 7.30pm when he discovered a small fire in a wardrobe in the room.

Chris, 28, said: 'We called the fire service straight away and then I went downstairs to get some water. When I returned to the bedroom and stuck my head round the door, I could see that the room was full of flames. The whole room was also full of smoke. Most of the damage is smoke related.

'We are expecting a baby in two weeks and the room that we'd prepared has been completely damaged.

'All the nursery stuff will have to be replaced - the cot, the clothes and the wallpaper. I don't know how much the damage will cost but it's more than just a few hundred.'

Amanda, 30, suffered minor smoke related injuries but wasn't taken to hospital.

She said: 'When we saw the flames, I panicked but we were lucky because we got help quite quickly and Chris did all the right things.'

Two fire crews from High Wycombe attended the scene and used a hose reel and a set of breathing apparatus in tackling the fire, which was brought under control in a few minutes.

Graham Field, station officer at High Wycombe Fire Station, said: 'We think the cause of the fire was a lamp lying in the wardrobe that came into contact with some clothes.

'There was severe damage on the first floor and in light of the fact the lady was expecting a baby in two weeks, we called for an ambulance as a precaution.'