Appeal launched after family left homeless in fire at Chapel St Leonards

Chelsey Moore and her partner McCorley Booth had only been home for five minutes after a day out with their three children when their eldest son, who was playing in the conservatory, spotted flames coming across the fence from nextdoor.

The seven-year-old rushed into the lounge to tell his dad, by which time the flames were spreading close to their oil tank.

"McCorley went straight back inside and just told everyone to run,” said their best friend Shannon Jane, who has set up one of two appeals for the family.

"All they managed to grab was their passports – they didn’t even have time to put their shoes on.”

The blaze which has left a community devastated started yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.

Shannon, 26, said she spotted the fire across the village and, as it was the second in a week, messaged her friend, not knowing it was her home.

"Chelsey messaged me back and said I’m stood outside our home watching it go up in flames.

"I felt so helpless – they are devastated and have been left with nothing.”

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said there was “varying fire damage to six domestic properties, garden buildings, oil tanks and fencing. Crews extinguished using breathing apparatus, hose reels and thermal imaging cameras.

"Two of the properties suffered internal fire damage and the others just had damage to the gardens."

They said the fire was caused “accidentally by combustible materials in one of the gardens.”

The children – aged seven, five and one – have now gone to stay with grandparents and Chelsey and McCorley are staying in the area while they are trying to find somewhere to live.

In the meantime Shannon is appealing for the following items which can be dropped off at Chapel St Leonards Primary School and the Premier shop in Chapel St Leonard’s:

Boys clothes

2-3 years / size 6 shoe

7-8 years 11 shoe

Girls Clothes

5-6 years 10 shoe

Women’s clothes

Size 14 / size 4 shoe

Men’s clothes

Size X Large / size 10 shoe

Baby items:

Any baby items as a baby on the way

Any TOYS

Any 3+ bed properties local to Skegness area

A gofundme page has also been launched at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ChelseaVann