Couple in tears after fire destroys uninsured family home they were about to sell

A heartbroken couple have told how their family home was destroyed in a fire just minutes before dozens of potential buyers were due to view it at an estate agent open morning.

As flames ripped through the house they've shared for 35 years, Mark and Sharon Wibberley were forced to flee, pausing only to grab a few treasured possession and their pet parrot.

Tragically the couple, aged 57 and 56, aren't insured.

Mark told the Manchester Evening News: " The whole house is absolutely ruined.

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"It's just horrific. My wife's in tears, I've been in tears, I'm not ashamed to say."

It's thought the fire started after sparks from a downstairs log burner blew out of the chimney and into the loft under a loose roof tile.

Video from the scene shows flames shooting from the roof of the three-bed end terrace in Hyde, Tameside.

Around 30 firefighters were called to the blaze on Waverley Road at about 9.40am on Saturday.

Retired skip driver Mark said the couple had put their home up for sale and were preparing for an open morning in which 30 prospective buyers were lined up to view the property.

But around 20 minutes before they were due to arrive Mark says a woman banged on the door and told them the 'roof was on fire'.

Mark ran up to the loft and threw buckets of water on the flames in a desperate attempt to stop the fire spreading, but the thick black smoke was too intense and he was forced to flee.

He said: "I threw a bucket of water on the fire but it didn't make a dent, so I got another another bucket.

"By that time the lady next door was shouting at us to get out, because it was really going.

"I couldn't see a thing. There was black smoke