Rallying to help arson victims

The mother and daughter team lost two barns and their contents, including most of their machinery, in a fire started under a diesel tank at Brecks Lane Farm, on the edge of East Herringthorpe, Rotherham.

Mrs Smith, who was widowed 18 months ago, and her daughter, run about a hundred dairy cows, which were out grazing at the time of the fire. They had crops ready to harvest for winter feed but no means of getting them in – and nowhere to store them.

But following a Yorkshire Post report on the tragedy, a neighbour turned up with a combine and B&B Tractors of Warsop, near Barnsley, sent another, plus a tractor driver and mechanic. Several people loaned trailers and neighbours found room for the crop and the straw.

Helen Smith said this week: “There is a steep hill ahead but we will be back and we want to say thank you to everybody who pulled together to get us back on our feet.”