Joan Smith, 50, a care home helper, watched in horror on the night as youths first surrounded her apartment block on Reeves Corner, before setting it alight.

She said: “When I saw fire I was panicking, I wanted to go out with a suitcase but I was scared the looters would take it from me and attack me.

I lost a 21 inch TV, my sofas, all my clothes in my wardrobes, but also important photographs of my daughter, my grandchildren, which I can never replace.”

Mrs Smith is having to pay for a bed in a hostel while she waits for temporary council accommodation which she is decorating.

“I cannot stay in this hostel any longer. I need my own space, my own toilet, my own kitchen,” she said.

The stress of the ordeal has kept Mrs Smith from returning to work, and she had had to use holiday days to ensure she doesn’t lose income.

“I was hoping to go back to Jamaica to visit my grandchildren but I cannot afford to now,” she said.

Mrs Smith is now waiting for her insurance claims to process so she can get back on with her life.

“I am still in shock. I am grateful to the council for its help, but I have lost everything,” she said.

Carla Rees, 34, had only minutes to flee her home on the corner of London Road and St James Road on August 8 before it was engulfed in flames, killing her two cats and destroying her collection of flutes, her livelihood.

A month on and she is still waiting to replace her instruments, while living out of hotels or bunking with friends.

“ The insurance company are being really good and putting me up, so I’m back in a hotel at the moment.They are now looking to find me a flat.”

An alto and bass flautist, Miss Rees lost 15 flutes in the blaze, custom made by dutch craftswoman Eva Kingma, and worth thousands each.

“I have had lots of offers from people to borrow their flutes, for which I am very grateful, but it isn’t the same.

It is especially difficult as I have had to cancel a lot of work because I don’t have them,” she said.

Help has come not only from friends but also music store Myall Music, in South End, which has set up a collection fund for her.

“The response has been incredible,” she said. “The shop are being absolutely fantastic and I am very grateful to everyone who has offered support.”