A mother-of-two made homeless by a fire at Embassy Court flats has praised the city council and the people of Brighton and Hove for their generosity and thoughtfulness.

When her rented property caught fire on December 12, Cireena Simcox faced the prospect of spending Christmas on the streets after just 12 months in the city.

Ms Simcox said: “Although I lost everything it certainly has not been a ‘poor me’ story, it has just shown me how fantastic Brighton is.”


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Immediately after the fire, which has left her room uninhabitable for at least four months, Brighton and Hove City Council set her up with short-term accommodation at a Kemptown women’s hostel.

The pensioner, who volunteers at Regency Townhouse, said: “I didn’t see myself as having many friends in Brighton but total strangers have done so much for me.”

On the first night after the fire another Embassy Court resident offered Ms Simcox a bed, then a local hairdresser gave her a free wash and blow-dry.

Since then she has also received lots of clothing donations.

Ms Simcox, who has lived in China, Africa and Australia, said: “I actually didn’t have underwear for 48 hours and going commando in Brighton was really cold.”

The Flight Centre in Brighton also held a collection of girly objects for her including nail polish and trainers.

“It is all the little tiny thoughtful things that people have done for me,” said Ms Simcox.

The worst losses in the fire were objects she had inherited from her |parents’ travels, photographs and |even some alligator and python |skins.

She said: “Although I am grateful for the roof over my head, they were the things that made home feel like home.

“But I do wonder what the fire brigade would have thought when they saw them.”

Ms Simcox was however fortunate to find the bottle containing her father’s ashes among the items still in her room, where the fire began.