A GREENOCK mum who lost everything after a cheap tablet device sparked a fire which ripped through her home is now warning others to avoid buying budget electronics.

Natalie McNeill, 44, was in her flat in Greenock's Wren Road with her two-year-old daughter Melanie when the blaze broke out at around 8.30pm on January 4.

The fire started after the tablet - which she had recently purchased from budget website Temu - set her bed alight.

The Telegraph told earlier this month how Natalie’s neighbours Jade and Linda had braved the fierce flames to drag her out of her burning home in a dramatic rescue.

Natalie was told by the fire brigade that it was an electrical device that started the blaze in her home.

She believes the fire was sparked by the Pritom Tablet she had purchased for £58 from online marketplace Temu - a site which offers heavily discounted goods which are mostly shipped from China.

She is now warning other cash-strapped families to avoid paying for budget electrical goods.

The mum-of-three has now told the Daily Record her home has now been destroyed and all her belongings have been lost.

Natalie said: “It was horrifying. I’m still traumatised by it. I was downstairs taking down my Christmas tree when it happened.

“Thankfully I had picked Melanie up and taken her downstairs with me. All of a sudden, my smoke alarm started going off, then I started to hear crackling coming from upstairs.

“My neighbour Jade was in the house and I screamed at her to grab Melanie as I started running up the stairs.

“I ran over to where the Temu tablet had been sitting but by that time there were flames shooting out of the bed.

“I tried to smother the fire with a blanket, but it was spreading too fast. The flames just shot up above me.”

Natalie suffered superficial burns to her hands and face but believes she could have ended up a lot worse off if it hadn’t been for the quick-thinking of Jade’s mum, Linda.

She added: “The bedroom windows suddenly blew out and before I knew it I was stuck at the top of the stairs.

“I was on my hands and knees - the smoke was so thick I couldn’t breathe.

“Linda came running up and reached through the smoke. She managed to grab my legs and pull me down to the hallway.

“She saved my life. I wouldn’t have gotten out if it wasn’t for her.”

Despite the best efforts of firefighters, many of Natalie’s treasured belongings were destroyed in the fire.

Oak Tree Housing Association, who own the property, have since placed her in new accommodation while a fundraiser has been launched to help support the family.

To support the family by donating to the fundraiser, click here.

A Temu spokesperson said: "We are deeply concerned to learn about the incident involving Ms Natalie McNeill and a tablet she purchased from our platform. As an immediate response, we have taken the precaution of removing the product from our listings.

"At the same time, we have urgently instructed the merchant involved to conduct a comprehensive investigation of their products.

"We are actively liaising with Ms McNeill to offer our support and gather essential details to facilitate an extensive investigation from our end.

"It's important to understand the circumstances of this terrible event fully, as this is the first report of fire-related issues with this product and any Temu products since our UK launch.

"The initial examination suggests the product complies with regulations.

"However, we will continue our investigation, and the product will remain suspended in the meantime.

"Temu takes matters of consumer safety with utmost seriousness.

"We are dedicated to ensuring that all products on our platform meet rigorous safety standards and will do everything in our capacity to address the issue and support those affected."

A spokesperson for Benton Technology Co, the manufacturer of the tablet, said: “We would like to assure everyone that Benton is committed to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation into this matter.

"To date, this is the first report of such a nature involving our products, and we are taking it very seriously.

"We understand the concerns and questions that arise from such an incident, and we pledge to keep our customers and the public informed as we learn more.”