A MOTHER of five has been charged with arson after a fire ripped through her Reigate home, gutting the ground floor.
The blaze is believed to have broken out in Amanda Ghoniem's Atherfield Road home at about 6.15am on Saturday.
Neighbours noticed flames coming from the property and called for help as thick black smoke engulfed the street.
Firefighters battled for nearly five hours to bring the blaze under control.
Witnesses described how the dramatic scene unfolded.
"My six-year-old daughter woke up early and had her TV on which woke me up," said 34-year-old part-time care worker Jessica Symes, who lives next door to the house.
"I heard a beeping so I was hunting round the house wondering what it was. Then I went outside and saw the neighbour's back room was on fire and the door was open.
"I got the children out of the house and took them down the road with the dog and cat so we were all sitting in the car. If my daughter hadn't woken up and started watching TV, I don't know if I would have heard anything."
Joanna Gallan, 33, who runs her own photo business and lives a few doors away, said: "It took a long time for them to get the fire out. They were very fast responding – I think they've saved the house next door from catching fire as well."
Another neighbour added: "I was in bed reading a book and I thought 'it's going to be a horrible day' because it kept going dark outside the window. It turned out it was the smoke from the fire."
Police this week confirmed they had charged 41-year-old Ms Ghoniem with arson.
She has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Redhill Magistrates' Court on Thursday, May 16.
