Neighbours have clubbed together to help two families whose homes caught fire on New Year’s Eve.

No-one was hurt in the fire, which took place in Orton Brimbles, Peterborough, at about 22:30 GMT on Tuesday.

The cause has not been confirmed but it is suspected that fireworks struck the homes.

Kirsty Knight, an independent city councillor, said local people had “pulled together” to give both families, who each have young children, a gift of a day out.

“Everyone’s shocked; couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Ms Knight said people had raised money for both families to spend the day at a local leisure facility this weekend.

“For them to have a bit of a break and try and just bring back some of the celebration for the families.”

She said one family was staying with a relative and the other in a hotel until they were able to return home.

The back of each house was damaged, and burnt rubble was left scattered across each of the back gardens.

Ms Knight said several Peterborough residents had contacted her on New Year’s Eve with concerns about fireworks in the high winds.

“[They were] sending me pictures of fireworks hitting their cars; hitting their house windows,” she said.

“They were going all over the place due to the gust of winds.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

A spokesperson said: “Firefighters arrived to find a fire in a shed that had spread to the rear of a house, and the ground floor was well alight.”

They used hose reels, small gear and a short extension ladder to extinguish the fire, in which a dog was rescued and no-one was injured.

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