A Co Down mum has spoken of her fear as she rescued her children from a car blaze on Easter Monday.
Natasha Jervis Preston, was on her way home to Castlewellan when she says her car started to lose power and show warning lights.
Within minutes, she watched as her car went up in flames, destroying everything that was inside.
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Her two daughters, aged six and one, were both in the back of the car when it began to smoke.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Natasha said: "I had to drop my eldest daughter to her daddy's house in Comber and we were on our way back to the house.
"It was a great day and I had got the kids Country Fried Chicken and the baby had fallen asleep so my other daughter Tiegan was waiting on her waking up so she could eat it.
"We were at the bottom of Mill Hill and the kids had a blanket fort in the back. They were in great spirits when my youngest had woke up and they were playing away.
"The traffic was crazy, with people wanting to get into Castlewellan Forest Park. A light came on the dashboard and everything knocked off. The car started to lose power on that hill and I panicked because it was bumper to bumper.
"I looked to the front of the car and all I could see was smoke. It was terrifying. I just pulled the car in as soon as there was a space available.
"Everything happened so quick but I jumped out of the car and got the girls unstrapped from their seats and out of the car and ran down the hill.
"A man who saw what was happening actually ran to the car and grabbed some of my belongings. He risked his life, going to a car which was on fire at this stage. I am so thankful to him."
Natasha's purse with all of her IDs and cards were destroyed in the blaze along with her children's Easter money and her daughter's iPhone.
But she says it is sentimental photos of her daughter's father, who died a number of years ago, which she will never get back.
"We are devastated, beyond devastated," she added.
"At the time, my main focus was to get my children out of that car. Once I done that, I broke down. I cried at the side of the road like a baby because it was so traumatic.
"A woman called Helena and her daughter Rebecca stopped to help us and it turned out that she was a Paediatric Nurse. She stayed with me and the girls the whole time and was brilliant.
"The fire was getting worse and worse. We got out in the nick of time and it doesn't bare thinking about what would have happened if we weren't able to get out so fast.
"I have a disabled mum who is recovering from breast cancer and if she had of been in the car, I don't think I would have been able to get her out as quick as I got the kids out.
"We now have a hire car through but isn't very practical because I am my mummy's carer and I can't go over 75 miles of driving a day. She lives 10 miles away from me and I would do her shopping and things like that.
"I can't bring the kids anywhere over the Easter break either. It is terrible but I am just so grateful that nobody was injured. This could have been worse.
"Looking back at the photos, it doesn't even seem like there were car seats in the car - it was filled with toys and blankets. Everything is gone now but I have my children. That's all that matters now."
A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson told Belfast Live that they received the call at around 2:35pm on Monday and that one appliance from Newcastle Fire Station attended the incident.
She added: "Firefighters were called to a car on fire. They used two jets to extinguish the fire. The occupier of the car was treated for shock by Firefighters at the scene. The incident was dealt with by 3.20pm and the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental ignition."
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