A 22-year-old mother of three who lost everything in a house fire last week has been shocked to learn that she is not considered a 'high enough priority' for full financial assistance by the Department of Social Security (DSS).

Tania Bridges and her three children, Nikita, aged three, and 11-month-old twins Jordan and Georgia, were left homeless after fire swept through their home at Windyhill Farm, Sardis Road, Kilgetty, last Sunday morning.

"I can't remember the exact time, but it was in the early hours of the morning when a friend, who was sleeping downstairs, woke me to say there was a fire," she told the Observer this week.

Tania explained that she and her friend tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire, before rescuing the three children and the family dog.

The blaze was put out by fire crews from Tenby and Narberth, but extensive damage was caused to the lounge of the cottage, while there was also smoke and water damage to the rest of the property.

Tania was treated for smoke inhalation in hospital, but when she was released some 12 hours later she found that virtually all her property, including Christmas presents she had bought for the children, had been lost.

"I didn't even have a pair of shoes to wear out of the hospital," she admitted.

Tania turned to Pembrokeshire County Council for help, only to be met with disappointment.

"The only accommodation the county council could offer me was bed and breakfast in Pembroke Dock," she said.

"I have no transport, so I would not be able to take Nikita to playschool in Pentlepoir.

"She's been traumatised enough by the fire, I didn't want to break her routine, so Pembroke Dock was out of the question."

Instead, Tania and the children are staying with her parents, John and Jacqui Bridges, in Pentlepoir.

However, with her two brothers, Jason and Martin, also living there, it means that she and the three children have to sleep in the dining room.

"In fact, the county council even hinted that it was her landlord's responsibility to find her somewhere else to live," explained her father John.

"He's been great, and has offered her a caravan next to her cottage, but at this time of year it's not really practical.

"So, for the time being, she'll have to stay here while we look for somewhere else."

Tania admitted that she was more disappointed with the outcome when she turned to the DSS for help.

"I applied for a community care grant for £2,330 to replace the things lost in the fire and for a budget loan," she explained.

"We were only left with the cloths we were standing up in, I didn't even have a pack of nappies for the babies."

However, a letter from the DSS revealed that while they were prepared to give her a loan of £535, repaid out of her benefits, they were only prepared to pay some £470 of the care grant request.

They would pay outright for a new cot mattress and make contributions towards new single and double beds and a cot, as well as providing some £200 for clothes, but they would not fund replacement tables and chairs, sofas, TV, video, stereo and bedding.

"In some ways, I can understand the TV, video and stereo, but why say they'll contribute towards beds and not give anything for the bedding for them?" she asked. "After the fire we didn't even have any towels."

"The letter said that there was only a limited amount of money available and they had decided that my need for what I had asked for did not have a high enough priority," she continued.

"If it wasn't for the generosity of friends and people in the area, we'd have nothing at all."

Tania, who is on medication from the doctor to help her sleep following the fire, said that friends had given her clothes and toys for the children, while Nikita's godfather had taken them shopping for more clothes.

"Chris and Angie at Pentlepoir Post Office have also been superb," said Tania.

"Tania has the right of appeal with the DSS, but from the way the letter was worded we don't think it would do any good," admitted John

"I know people will say she should have had insurance, but when you're on benefit, with three children to support, it's difficult to afford it."

"We're grateful that Tania and the three children are all all right and we're not scroungers, we just don't think the DSS are being fair when you think that Tania and the children have lost everything," said Jacqui.

John said that, although it would be difficult, Tania and the children would stay with them until either the county council or they themselves found more suitable accommodation.

"Even then, she's not going to be able to afford the furniture and other things she needs to set up a new home," he said. "The DSS attitude is beyond us."

A spokesperson for the DSS said that they were unable to comment on individual cases, but added that the local office would gladly reconsider part of any award made if circumstances were now different to what had originally been told to them.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said that the authority had a duty to rehouse anyone left homeless following a natural disaster such as a fire.

"The lady was offered accommodation in Pembroke Dock as it was the nearest one available at the time," he said.

"Later in the week, she was offered a room in a hostel in Tenby, but she declined in favour of staying with her parents."