Derbyshire mum-of-four who lost everything in arson attack thanks 'close knit community' for help

A Killamarsh mum-of-four says she is “so grateful I’m part of a community that’s so close” after losing everything in a suspected arson attack on her home.

It has been a week since Kelly Rutter awoke on the morning of May 14 to find her car in flames and a petrol can sitting on its roof. The fire quickly spread to her home in Beech Crescent, leaving next to nothing inside salvageable.

But in that time and as she tries to put her family’s life back together, Kelly says she is “overwhelmed” at her community’s willingness to reach into their pockets and help her in her time of need.

“Everyone has really come through for me and my family,” said Kelly, aged 40, who has lived in Killamarsh all her life.

“There’s been whip-a-rounds, people have donated kid’s clothes, businesses have held raffles to raise money and Nether Green Working Mens’ Club are doing a charity night. Lots of local businesses like Sweeping Beauty, Emz Sarnies, the Killamarsh Dynamos Football Club and Sarahcare have raised money for us.

“We’ve got to start from scratch but I’m really overwhelmed and grateful that I’m part of a community that’s so close. I wouldn’t even know where to start if I hadn’t had everyone’s support.”

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign by family friend Emma Beci has raised over £2,600 to help buy furniture for the children. For more information or to donate, visit the GoFundMe page here.

Until she gets new housing, Kelly says friends have opened their homes to her and her children. Kelly described how she woke up last Monday morning to find her car in flames in what is being treated as an arson attack.

She said: “I saw a bright light through the curtains. I opened the windows to see my car was in flames and a petrol can was sitting on the roof. I was in disbelief.

“I got the kids up and out of bed. The flames were too close to the house for me to use the front door to get out and we had to go out the back.

“By the time the fire brigade arrived the car was well alight.“ Police told Kelly they have since found CCTV of “a lad getting out of the car with a petrol can in hand.”

Kelly said: “I was allowed back in to collect some clothes. The damage is really, really bad. The front door is gone, it’s been burned straight through. All the furniture at the front of the house is burned. So is the carpet up to the stairs. The walls are cracked and burned through to the brickwork. there’s melted plastic on the sofa. I don’t have contents insurance, but they said if I did it would be a complete claim. Nothing is salvageable.”

Even now, Kelly is unable to enter as investigators say there may be asbestos in the house that’s been exposed by the fire, meaning she doesn’t know when she will be given the all clear to order skips and empty the house.