A pet bearded dragon was found alive four days after a fire ripped through her owners’ home above a vets in Sundridge Park.

Simone and Patrick Dooley have lived above the Anderson Veterinary Surgery in Cambridge Road for 14 years, filling it with memories of their lives, travels and family.

Firefighters spent more than three hours tackling a blaze, which broke out in the roof above their flat and the vets shortly before 1pm on September 25.

Veterinary staff carried animals to safety through thick, black smoke as the building burned behind them.

Mrs Dooley, 55, runs the neighbouring Anderson Veterinary Surgery in Bromley Common and her husband, also 55, is a senior partner vet at the practice.

The couple described how they went into “panic mode” and raced to their home when they heard it was on fire with their pet bearded dragons Rex and Barbara inside.

Firefighters tackling the blaze at Sundridge Park (Photo by @Dog_And_Co)

Mr Dooley told News Shopper: “We were met with a scene of absolute disaster. Our home was ablaze with smoke pouring from the roof. It was a frightening, heartbreaking sight.”

At 7pm that evening when the fire was out, police officers entered the couple’s home to look for their personal documents but returned to tell them there was nothing to retrieve.

Mr Dooley said: “We were devastated. Our hearts were broken about our pets, about the surgery that I had worked in for fourteen years and, of course, about our home.”

After spending the weekend in a hotel, the pair were finally allowed into the flat to search through the wreckage for salvageable items.

The couple searched through the wreckage for anything they could salvage

Mr Dooley added: “Everything was charred, melted and black.

“We found our beloved bearded dragon, Rex, in his vivarium.

“It looked like he was asleep. It is likely that he died of smoke inhalation – we can only pray that he didn’t suffer.

“Barbara's door had blown off and she was nowhere to be found.

“I searched high and low on the Tuesday and I refused to give up searching for her as I was determined to give them both the burial they deserved.

“After hours of searching, on the brink of giving up hope of finding her, I lifted a blackened chair. There she was – alive.”

Patrick Dooley with pet bearded dragon Barbara

Barbara suffered a broken toe and burns to her left eye and the tip of her tail but has been nursed back to health by a client, known to the vets, who is experienced in exotics.

Mr and Mrs Dooley are slowly coming to terms with the fire and starting to rebuild their lives.

Mrs Dooley said: “It was incredible how the community pulled us through those dark moments during and after the fire, letting us know we were not alone.

“People were offering us places to sleep, clothes, food, money.

“It is a wonderful feeling to know, that in dark times, we are never alone.”