By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 13:39, Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Within hours of a fire which left a family-of-six homeless, the community had rallied around them.

The house in Finn Avenue, Carlisle

The father, who does not want to be named at this time, was home with his four children when smoke alarms alerted him to the blaze at about 9.50pm on Monday.

He woke his children, and persuaded his eldest daughter, aged eight, to lead their family dog out, while he endeavoured to wake the remaining three, aged two, four and six. His wife returned to the family home in the middle of the drama. They could not find their two cats, but they were later spotted hiding in the garden.

No-one was injured in the blaze, but the family have still not been allowed back inside.

Even when they are, it is unclear which – if any – of their belongings will be salvageable.

The father said: “We have absolutely nothing. The girls need clothes, my son needs nappies and a bottle at night. Even my wife and I have nothing.

“It is not about the house though; I’m just glad my family is okay.”

In true community spirit, the entire Raffles estate has stepped forward to support them in whatever way possible.

Michelle Campbell, who has lived on the estate all her life and volunteers at the Living Well Trust, explained: “I got my first text at about 12.10am, asking if I could help get donations together for them.

“The family have always lived around the area and are very well known. I was out knocking on doors and texting people at 8am, collecting donations.”

The response has been overwhelming, with donations being dropped off at both Raffles Community church and the trust’s shop Reach within minutes of opening yesterday morning.

Michelle said: “This has always been the case here; no matter what has been going on on the estate – good or bad – and no matter what spats people have, when there is a crisis everyone helps out.

“We are like family.”

The trust’s phones have also been ringing with people asking exactly what is needed to be donated, and within hours there was a small pile of clothes, a few tins of food and even a pushchair.

Jerry McGowan, who runs the Reach shop and is part of the team that runs the Living Well Trust said: “Whatever anyone offers us, we are accepting; if the family doesn’t need it then we will give it to someone else who does.

“We are also getting offers for furniture and other items, but until they have been back inside, we don’t know what they will need.”

Mr McGowan described the family as “lovely”, with “well-behaved children”. With a trace of sadness, he recalled how the mother and children had been at the church on Monday taking part in a Let’s Get Cooking course and had left with homemade pizzas.

The cause of the blaze, at a house in Finn Avenue, near Wigton Road, Carlisle, is not yet known.

Anyone wanting to donate can drop off items at either the church or the Reach shop, both on Shadygrove Road, between 9am and 5pm.

Clothes are need for an adult male, an adult female, a two-year-old boy, and three girls aged four, six and eight. Tinned food, bedding, nappies, bottles, toys, and basic dog and cat accessories are also among the items needed.

First published at 11:24, Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk