Community raises £11,000 to support Newmachar family hospitalised by devastating fire

Fundraisers who are supporting a Newmachar family who have lost everything in a house fire earlier this week have accumulated over £11,000, as well as numerous offers of donations in-kind.

Local firefighters responded to calls of a fire on Monday night, and unfortunately the family - named locally as Cara Lawtie, Darren Young and baby Ellie - were hospitalised as a result of their injuries.

Friends of the family, Gemma Nicol and Fiona Bissett, set up a Justgiving page and GoFundMe page respectively which have accumulatively collected over £11,000 so far towards helping the family find their feet when the time is right.

Many people have also rallied round the family offering donations of clothing and toys.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 10.44pm on Monday, March 7, to reports of a caravan fire at Newmachar.

"Operations Control mobilised three appliances to the scene to extinguish the fire.

"Two casualties were taken to hospital by paramedics.

"Firefighters left after making the area safe."

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