SCHOOL pupils have raised hundreds of pounds to help a family left homeless when their washing machine exploded.

Students at King James I Academy, in Bishop Auckland, had hoped to raise about £500 to help their friend 11-year-old Demi-Leigh Proud.

The year seven student was watching a Christmas film with her mum Natalie and three sisters earlier this month when the washing machine caught fire.

Thirty-year-old nursing student Miss Proud, of Crook, opened the door of the laundry room just as it exploded, knocking the children off their feet and shattering a window.

The fire destroyed all the family’s possessions, including the children’s Christmas presents, sentimental photographs and a comfort teddy Demi-Leigh has treasured since she was a baby.

On hearing about the devastating news, pupils said they wanted to help the family rebuild their lives and give them a good Christmas.

Fundraising events have included guess the name of the teddy, making Christmas baubles and a chocolate raffle. Individual form groups have been challenged to come up with ideas and they have been involved with assemblies about respect and how to treat others.

Demi-Leigh’s form tutor Justine Lamb said: “When we heard about what had happened we just wanted help. We initially set a target of £500 but we are easily going to raise more than that. The whole school has got behind it, even people who don’t know Demi. They lost everything and we just want to make sure they have a good Christmas.”

Miss Proud, who only heard about what the school were doing earlier this week, said: “I wish I could go round and thank everyone individually. This will make a huge difference to us. We will be able to replace their Christmas presents and some of our other possessions we have lost.

“We have a new property sorted and we should pick the keys up soon."

Miss Proud, who had lived in the privately rented house in Gladstone Street for two years, evacuated her traumatised daughters and pet dogs, Gemz the Chihuahua and Destiny the Old English Bulldog, from the property when the fire broke out

Firefighters spent two hours tackling the blaze, and managed to rescue the family’s cat, Milo.

Miss Proud had been washing her children’s school uniforms when the machine, which was just over a year old, caught fire.

Since the fire, an online appeal has been set up to help the family:

• To support the appeal, visit gofundme.com/zcyx7q-home-for-christmas

• Donations of other items are welcome. Contact Ms Stoves on 07891-607947.