Leighton community priest Paul Niemiec spoke of his shock after a freak fire destroyed a lifetime’s memories at his home on Thursday afternoon.
The last rays of the winter sun set fire to papers and books in his study after bouncing off a glass paperweight decorating the windowsill.
It was only the action of his wife, Helen, who always shuts internal doors when she leaves the house, in Warneford Way, Billington Park, that prevented the inferno from destroying the property.
“I’m having a hard time going in there at the moment,” he said. “I’m in shock and it’s quite upsetting.
“I know that it’s only stuff, and most of it can be replaced, but all my work, my computer, books, papers, my films, music, everything has been destroyed.
“There’s probably 35 years of my life in there.”
Mark Hutchings, station commander at Leighton fire station, said: “If people will put glass objects in the sun they can attract the rays of the sun, even at this time of year. People should be aware of that.”
Read tomorrow’s LBO for the full story.
