Community rallies around Mansfield Woodhouse family who 'lost everything' in suspected arson attack

A fire broke out at the property on Cox’s Lane at about 5am, with the family escaping with just the clothes on their backs while firefighters battled the blaze.

Linda Roe, aged 52, lived at the property with two of her daughters Kacey and Jess, along with Jess’s partner and their eight-year-old daughter Summer.

The family are now recovering at the home of Natalie Singhal, Linda’s other daughter.

Natalie, who works in the laboratories at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, said: “It’s absolutely devastating – the house has been our childhood home for more than 20 years and they have lost everything.

“They managed to get out with just the clothes on their back, the kids didn’t even have shoes on.

“They went back into the fire to try to rescue our pet tortoise who belonged to my Nana before she passed away, but the smoke was too much.

“Fortunately fire crews managed to get in, otherwise we would have been even more heartbroken.

“My mum is in bits – all of our childhood memories are in that house. It’s much more than just the material things which can be replaced.”

Support

Natalie and her husband Richard put out an appeal for help on social media and were inundated with offers of support.

She said: “The response so far has been brilliant, with people turning up with bags of clothes and offers of furniture for once they can move back in.

“My work has also been amazing, donating clothes and shoes, and they are also going to have a whip-round too.

“We’re all just so grateful.”

Richard, a keen biker, created a JustGiving page after the biking community offered to help the family get back on their feet, and donations have already surpassed £2,000.

He said: “We’ve been blown away by the response, it really has brought back our faith in humanity.

"People who were not even from Mansfield wanted to help, so we set up the JustGiving page and can’t believe how generous people have been.”

Anyone wishing to donate can do so here.

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