A FATHER was forced into frantic life-saving action when his car exploded into flames with his two children inside.

As this dramatic picture shows, flames 20 feet high roared from Danny Taylor's Renault Laguna just moments after he managed to free his daughters Georgia, aged seven, and Connie, four.

"I feared for my children's lives," said Mr Taylor, club professional at Swinger's Golf Club, in Lichfield.

"They were really calm and got out of the vehicle, then it was just engulfed in flames."

The freak incident occurred near to the Pretty Pigs public house in Linden Lane, Tamworth.

The 38-year-old added: "I could see smoke but just assumed it was steam coming from the car because it was a cold morning.

"But I could smell burning so I popped open the bonnet and could see flames – my next thoughts were to get the children out as quickly as possible."

The vehicle had 79,000 miles on the clock – its owner had no idea anything would go wrong. He explained: "There were no lights on the dashboard, no strange sounds, nothing, it just happened out of the blue.

"I'd only filled it up the day before with diesel."

Mr Taylor is a teaching professional at what was Swingers golf centre, now the Robert Rock golf academy, in Lichfield.

His vehicle was destroyed in the incident along with his wife's ipad and cash he had earned from golfing sessions.

"Initially my insurance company said they were not going to pay out but they changed their minds," he said.

"The rest I will have to try and claim on my house insurance.

"But I'm just glad my children behaved perfectly to get out of the vehicle calmly and no-one was harmed."

Fire crews attended at 10.34am on Saturday, January 14 at 10.34am and reported the reason for the fire as being "accidental".