Leaping naked from a first-floor window sounds like a typical act of rock 'n' roll bravado.

But with searing flames and poisonous smoke filling his bedroom, band manager Mark Turner had no alternative.

After smashing the glass with his arm, he and girlfriend Fiona Beck jumped 12ft to safety while their home and possessions burnt behind them.

Thousands of CDs were melted and dozens of items of signed Beatles memorabilia were incinerated.

Surveying the scorched wreckage of his home in Carden Crescent, Brighton, Mr Turner said: "I'm gutted, just like the house."

The fire took hold after a suspected electrical fault in the first-floor study.

Mr Turner's collection rapidly ignited and flames spread to the ceiling and into the roof.

The couple had a smoke alarm on the landing but he confessed it was probably not working, a slip which could have cost him his life.

However, the couple were woken by the smoke and heat and were able to escape without serious injury.

Mr Turner, 42, said: "My partner woke up before me and scurried to put some clothes on. I thought that was typical of a woman.

"From the moment I woke up to jumping out of the window it could only have been 40 or 50 seconds. We had to jump because of the heat not the smoke.

"I smashed the window with my hands but I didn't feel anything because I was so pumped up.

"Fiona landed on the grass and she'd hurt her back so all the neighbours were gathering round.

"I was left with nowhere to jump so I had to lower myself down and landed on concrete."

The couple were treated in hospital and were lucky not to be badly hurt. Even their pet cat Magic managed to escape.

But their house is now a charred and empty shell.

Scaffolding has been put up to support the fragile building and boards cover the windows making the scorched walls appear even blacker.

There are gaping holes in the roof where firefighters removed tiles to allow smoke to escape and a hole in the floor where the fire took hold.

Mr Turner said: "I've lost everything from the office, hundreds of files, CDs and loads of records from the loft, including a lot of rare stuff.

"Mainly they were of sentimental value but they were worth quite a lot too."

Items lost included work by some of his acts, including Rolling Stones tribute band the Railing Stains and soul singer Daisy Hicks.

Mr Turner said the blaze was still affecting him.

He said: "I was okay the day after it happened and for a while after. But about a week ago I was walking down London Road and heard a fire engine - it made my legs buckle."

Sub Officer Grant Eager, who led the 20-man operation to extinguish the fire, said lessons could be learnt from the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of September 17.

He said: "A working smoke detector would give the best chance of getting out. Because of the type of fire this was, it would have gone off very early with all the black poisonous smoke from melting plastic.

"A domestic sprinkler system would cost about £1,000 for a full house but you could have one in just a kitchen or an office like this for less.

"If you have lots of CDs or videos, locking them in cupboards will stop them being involved in the fire as early.

"This was one of the most severe house fires I've seen. Some fires are contained in the room they start in but this forced its way into the loft."

While most of the house have been cleared of possessions, a few burnt items were peeping from the attic, including burnt Rupert The Bear annuals and a melted, contorted television set.

Mr Turner said: "The more I think about it, the more lucky I feel to be alive."