Trainer tells of narrow escape as blaze rips through home

Lucky to be alive, Oliver Sherwood and family count the cost

RACEHORSE trainer Oliver Sherwood told today (Thursday) of his horror as fire ripped through his Lambourn home last night.

Mr Sherwood, who shares the Sheepdrove Road home with wife Tarnya, son Archie, aged 13 and 17-year-old daughter Sabrina, said they were lucky to be alive.

He added: “Thank goodness it was 8pm and not 2am because otherwise I believe my daughter wouldn't have got out.”

Mr Sherwood, who has sent out more than 800 winners from his yard, Shonehurst, including six Cheltenham Festival winners, said: “I was watching the football and my wife was about to have a bath when my daughter heard a crackling sound.

“I went upstairs to investigate and could hear shouting and screaming from outside. Suddenly I saw flames licking out from beneath the skirting board.”

Mr Sherwood evacuated his family and waited for the fire brigade.

He said: “They arrived within 10 minutes but, by then, the top half of the house was gone up in flames. It's history. We certainly won't be living there for a while. At least no one died - it's just bricks and mortar.”

However, Mr Sherwood said that, although some family photographs and mementos were saved, his daughter's personal things and notes for her sixth form studies had been lost to the flames.

The house is relatively new - 22 years old - and the Sherwoods bought it from the previous owners who had built it themselves.

Fire crews from Newbury, Lambourn, Reading, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire spent four hours bringing the blaze under control, but half the property was destroyed.

The cause is still being investigated.

As he and his family tried to come to terms with their narrow escape and loss, Mr Sherwood paid tribute to the fire brigade and to the local community which had rallied round.

He said: “The firefighters were fantastic and everyone is being so kind and supportive. That's the kind of community we're lucky enough to live in. We'd like to let everyone know how grateful we are for their offers of help and their kindnesses.”

Despite the drama, Mr Sherwood said it was business as usual at Shonehurst.