A homeowner has told how she has been “humbled” by neighbours who rallied round when her house burnt down.
Linda Mair, 64, had left the property in Bell’s Croft, Abernethy, for a trip to Perth when the blaze broke out on Sunday.
Since the fire, neighbours who initially feared she was trapped inside have raised hundreds of pounds and even offered her alternative accommodation.
Linda has given her thanks to the community.
She said: “I’ve had a phenomenal amount of support. I’m just so speechless I never thought people cared about each other so much.
“They’ve been very good I’ve always said that since I moved into the street.
“My neighbours would do anything for you. I’ve said I’d never move away because of the neighbours they are so helpful.
“I’m overwhelmed by the community response. I feel so lucky lucky to live in Abernethy.”
She added that her former employers, A&J Stephens builders, which originally constructed her property, gave one of several offers for a place to stay.
Linda said: “I’ve had several officers of accommodation.
“One person at the end of the road and another neighbour offered a cottage in Rhynd and Stephens the builders called me last night and offered me a flat on Glasgow Road in Perth.”
Linda, who has lived in the street for seven years, praised the bravery of several men who went into the property during the fire and saved many of her possessions.
“One of my neighbours, James Cook, broke the window at the front in the lounge and went into the house because they thought I was still there,” she said.
“He looked through the house and when he realised I wasn’t in there, he started taking stuff out the patio doors.
“He said he looked round and there were chaps he had never seen from the estate helping carry things out.
“They could hear the crackling (of the fire) in the roof space.”
The neighbour who set up the fundraising effort said the total had now exceeded £900.
Hazel Gordon, who owns Berryfields Tearoom in the village and lives in the same street, said: “I started the fund because we just felt a bit useless.
“We were at the tearoom when the fire started. It could have been our house and we were panicked.
“We wanted to give something and we thought other people in the village might want to help as well. She lost virtually everything.
“The generosity has been astounding. I opened the box last night to count the money and there was an envelope in there with £200 that somebody put in.
“Unfortunately, I have no idea who that person was as I was in the kitchen all day and the girl who was out front didn’t see who it was.
“There are people we know don’t have money to spare are coming in and putting money into that box.
“I think the response has been amazing the goodwill in the village and the community spirit, I’ve never seen that before in my life.”
Picture by Phil Hannah