Grand National-winning rider Maurice Barnes devastated after fire destroys home

Maurice Barnes, who rode Rubstic to victory in the 1979 Grand National, and his wife Anne were counting their blessings on Monday that the fire that devastated their home last Friday had no human or animal cost.

The pair, who were on their way back from Hexham when an electrical fault caused the fire that required three fire engines to tame, have spent the weekend attempting to salvage what little they could from the wreckage. But for all the material damage and lost memories they still count themselves fortunate.

Maurice Barnes and Rubstic (left) on their way to victory in the 1979 Grand NationalCredit: Mark Cranham

A tearful Anne Barnes said: "We're both very grateful our son came round, turned the oil and the electric off and rang the fire brigade. He didn't open the door and if he had done he'd have been dead they said because it'd have just blown right out at him.

"Our dogs were in the garage, so they're all right, and we consider ourselves very lucky – but it's depressing."

It is believed the fire was started by a wall-mounted vacuum charging unit that, when the flames were doused, left their bungalow with a big hole in the roof.

Barnes added: "It's been a bit of a horrific time since Friday, what a thing to come home to. It's horrible. It was just an electrical fault, which can happen to anybody, you just don't think it's going to be you.

"The house is absolutely black from the soot, it looks like it's been spray painted black. It's more smoke damage than the fire, it's coated everything and it absolutely stinks.

Walk the Aintree course with Grand National-winning jockey Maurice Barnes

"We've a lot of nice old furniture handed down from family, we'll have been married 45 years in November, all that stuff's important to you. Poor Maurice's Grand National painting that we got in the 80s, it's all charred and hopefully we can get it restored. It makes you cry really. Some special stuff is fine but there's a lot that isn't. When you look in the house everything's black.

"We had two runners at Kelso yesterday and we sent two girls, they said everyone was asking after us both and it makes you start crying. Racing people are so kind. It's hit us both, we've had a lot of tears and we're at the point now where we just have to salvage as much as we can and get the bungalow sorted. It'll be a while because it's such a mess – you can't even see out the windows they're so black."

The couple, who are staying in a tourer caravan currently until better living accommodation can be arranged, will continue to stay on site.

Barnes added: "We don't want to go off the property, we've still got the horses and holiday cottages. We've hens and dogs, we can't go off and live in a hotel."

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