“BIG-hearted Malmesbury” is rallying to the plight of Dyson worker Natasha Wartnaby and her 11 year-old son Sam whose semi-detached home was devastated by fire.

Ms Wartnaby, 37, lost “absolutely everything” when the blaze ripped through her home in Silveston Way last Thursday while she was at the dentist.

Now the Malmesbury charity HEALS has launched a £2,000 House Crisis Fire Fund and is also appealing for furniture and other essential items to replace those destroyed in the fire.

Ms Wartnaby, a Malmesbury resident for many years, is living with her sister in the town while Sam is staying with his father as efforts are being made to find them a temporary home in the area.

She has been hugely touched at the response from local people who have made numerous donations, ranging from a bed to a kitchen clock, pots and pans and a microwave.

Even food and litter for her three cats who all escaped the blaze – one of which required veterinary treatment after being singed while fleeing – has been donated.

Crews from Tetbury, Chippenham and Cricklade, supported by the aerial appliance from Swindon, attended at 2.35pm on Thursday.

The blaze is believed to have been started in or near a small shed at the rear of the property before spreading to the house. The exact cause is still being investigated.

Ms Wartnaby was contacted by friends while she was undergoing dental treatment as the fire raged, while her son was with his father at the time.

The chairman of HEALS, Gavin Grant, who has been in regular contact with Ms Wartnaby since the blaze said: “She has lost absolutely everything in her home, as has Sam.

“No-one was in the house when the fire spread to it so there was no-one there to raise the alarm.”

Such was the severity of the blaze, which gutted the home, that Mr Grant felt it would probably be nearer Easter than Christmas when it was ready for the pair to return.

HEALS is working with the Green Square Housing Association, which owns the house, and Wiltshire Council to find accommodation in Malmesbury which would enable Ms Wartnaby, who does not have a car, to continue working at Dyson.

Mr Grant said: “Imagine returning home and discovering that you have lost absolutely everything. It’s absolutely devastating.

“They will now need all sorts of things – from tables to storage jars – and people are responding very well. Malmesbury is a big hearted town. Natasha has been greatly lifted by the generosity of what people are doing.”

It is understood that the family which lives next door to Ms Wartnaby, whose home was also badly damaged during the incident and is now uninhabitable, are still unaware of the fire as they are away on holiday.

Firefighters forced their way into the property which was threatened by advancing flames and as a result suffered fire and water damage.

The family only moved to the Malmesbury six to eight weeks ago.

  • HEALS is asking people to donate by putting cash in an envelope marked ‘house fire’ and dropping it in to its High Street offices.

Cheques should be made to HEALS with ‘house fire crisis fund’ on the back. A 'House Fire Crisis Fund' Facebook page is also up and running.