A POPULAR home improvement television programme has inspired a community to get behind a family whose house was destroyed in a suspected arson attack.

Tracy Poskett, of Spennymoor, was in hospital to discuss her treatment for cancer when she got a phone call to say a fire had started at her family home of 13 years.

The blaze on September 14 of last year, which police and firefighters believe to have been arson, gutted the Park Parade house she and husband Craig had raised their three children in - and it was only thanks to pet dog Scruffy that their son Reed, 17, managed to escape uninjured.

A businessman from the town was so touched by Mrs Poskett’s story he vowed to help the family and last week launched the DIY SOS Spennymoor appeal on Facebook.

Since it went live on Thursday night it now has more than 1,300 members and dozens of offers of help.

David Goss, director of building and heating company Concept 16, said: “I saw the story after the fire and like lots of people thought it would just be sorted, I didn’t realise the state the house was in and when I went inside it took me back a bit.

“It is a big old task, if they spend what money they have on it now it could be wasted because it needs so much doing.

“When someone isn’t used to planning work on this scale and when they are attached to everything in the house it is a daunting task, nobody should have to see their home like that.”

The property was not insured which has made the clean-up and refurbishment particularly difficult for the family which has only £2,000 to spare.

Overwhelmed by the gesture, Mrs Poskett, 50, said: “At a time in our lives we only had darkness, now we see the light.

“I just can’t believe it, I’m absolutely gobsmacked. Where you think the help will come from, it doesn’t.

“When you’ve worked all your life it doesn’t come easy to ask for help - you feel like a scrounge.

“People we have never known before have stepped up and offered help.

“I’ve had days where I just didn’t want to carry on.

“Even if nothing comes of it that man has lifted my spirits.”

Mr Goss has about 12 people of all trades at his company’s disposal and he is certain workers will cut their rates to help.

In the meantime he is calling on extra pairs of hands, suppliers to aid the not-for-profit project, donations of money and fundraising ideas.

Work starts this Saturday morning when volunteers will empty the house, supported by Keith Jones of K&D Transport from Spennymoor who has offered a van and driver for the day.

Mr Goss believes it could be completed by the end of May and though he is still costing it up, he estimates it will cost around £30,000.