A COUPLE who were made homeless by a fire at their home more than four years ago are preparing to move back in before the winter – thanks to help from kindhearted neighbours and local businesses.

Chris and Bob Harrisson-Daniels have spent much of the past four years living in a caravan without a working toilet or running water after their bungalow at Thorndon Cross was destroyed by fire in January 2014.

The work on rebuilding their home came to a halt after an insurance shortfall left them without the funds to finish the project.

But things looked up earlier this year when a group of tradesmen stepped into carry out work for free.

Materials have been donated or offered with discounts by local firms, including Jewson, Howdens, RGB Building Supplies and Fahey’s Concrete in Okehampton.

And the final push has been supplied in recent weeks by neighbours, who rolled up their sleeves and got busy with tools and paintbrushes.

The couple now have running water, a toilet and, thanks to a donation from Howdens, a new kitchen. The final touch will be the carpets which will be fitted next week.

Chris, who suffers from fibromyalgia, which causes extreme tiredness, said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by everyone’s kindness.

‘We were in a caravan which didn’t even have a toilet after it fell through the floor and it was a case of “bucket and chuck it”,’ she said. ‘It has been absolutely horrendous, so to now be able to turn on a tap and see water coming out is just amazing.’

’It has been really lovely how people have rallied round, and really humbling. We even had three generations of one family turn up after they heard about our situation, and they have been plastering and painting.’

The house has been rebuilt on the same footprint as the original bungalow, but making use of the loft space, it now has more accommodation available.

The couple are still without a boiler – and so without heating – but Chris said they were counting their blessings; as they now have the electricity to boil a kettle, thanks to local electrician Dave Boyce.

‘We are ten stages further on than we were,’ she said. ‘We can now treat it as a home and not a building site. We are just so grateful.’