House guest tried four times to save fire victim

Despite his efforts and those of 80 firefighters, Sheila Hill, 54, died in the inferno.

Grieving widower Alan Hill has praised the efforts of Mike Brash and everyone who tried to help.

Mr Hill, still struggling to come to terms with the catastrophe which struck his family as flames swept through their Sackville Road home, thanked the emergency services and the many friends - known and unknown - who have supported them in their crisis. "I have not only lost my wife and the mother of my children, my sons and my daughter and her son and my son's friend have lost everything."

Detectives and forensic scientists have sifted the ruins of the maisonette and of the Weald Mobility showroom beneath for clues to the cause of the fire two weeks ago which shocked the community.

At present, all they have told Alan is that they believe it started on the ground floor.

"It was probably behind the door where we kept the bikes and surfboards..."

Alan had gone to work when he got a phone call to say there was "smoke" at the flat.

"You think 'smoke' - you don't think fire. Nothing could have prepared me for the melee I found in that road. Sheila went to Mike's room to get him out.

"He thought she had gone before him. But she didn't get out. Mike has taken it very hard.

"He tried to get back FOUR times to get her but he was beaten back by the smoke."

It was Mike's smoke-blackened figure that horrified onlookers saw make his dramatic escape.

"Because he is skinny, he was able to release the safety catch on the front window and slip through. He was in bare feet.

"He jumped from a window on to the shop roof below and from there get on to the roof of the camper van which this guy had driven below."

Summing-up his feelings, Alan said: "Every day I find it is just unreal. I just cannot believe it. I half expect my wife to walk in..."

Family photographs, especially those showing Sheila, now have a special value. Both Alan's sister and sister-in-law are searching for a suitable photograph to go on the order of service for Sheila's funeral.

Alan Hill said: "Sheila was an amazing woman. She was a supportive and loving wife, mother and grandmother who touched the lives of a great many people.

"Her presence on this earth will be sorely missed by us all."

The family are trying to rebuild their address book.

They are appealing for all friends to post their contact details to: The Hill Family, c/o Battle Baptist Church, Mount Street, Battle, TN33 0ER.

There will be a private, family-only cremation service for Sheila Hill on Wednesday followed by a public service of thanksgiving for Sheila's life at 2.15pm on Wednesday at Battle Baptist Church to which all are welcome. Refreshments will be provided afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in Sheila's memory to St Michael's Hospice, 25 Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 0LB.