A devastated East Kilbride family have lost everything after a fire destroyed their home just one week before Christmas.
Cathy and Andy McCann and their children Andrew, 27, Stuart, 22, Nikki, 32, and six-year-old granddaughter escaped unharmed but with only the clothes on their back after their attic went up in flames devastating the family home of 30 years in West Mains last Saturday morning.
Now homeless and living in a hotel for the holidays the heartbroken family are unable to return to the condemned family home with all their earthly possessions, including every Christmas present, destroyed by smoke and water damage.
Recalling the tragedy, Cathy, who was too distraught to be photographed, told Lanarkshire Live: "It was approximately 11.30am and we didn't know anything was wrong.
"We could hear what sounded like water in the loft but when we checked it was actually flames that we saw. We all managed to evacuate the house and called the fire brigade.
"As of now we have no home as it has been condemned and unsafe to enter so we have lost absolutely everything due to water and smoke damage and trying to come to terms with what's happened is difficult, especially this close to Christmas.
"I would also like to say thank you to the kind wishes and donations we have received at this hard time. This was our family home for over 30 years and it’s now gone.
"Very heartbreaking for us and our children."
Nephew Mark Dorricott is now fundraising on behalf of his family to help them get back on their feet.
He has set up a gofundme page which has so far raised more than £700.
Mark said: "I am fundraising on behalf of my auntie and her family who had to evacuate their home early on Saturday morning after a fire started in the attic of their home.
"Fortunately, no one was injured and they managed to escape as the fire burst through the roof of their home in the West Mains area of East Kilbride.
"The fire brigade attended and managed to put the fire out but they condemned the house as unsafe and uninhabitable.
"My auntie and uncle and their children are now having to live in a hotel without any of their belongings and have been unable to salvage anything apart from a few clothes. Everything has been water and smoke damaged as a result of the fire.
"I ask if you can please give what you can, so that we can try to help them get back on their feet after such a disaster."
Fire investigators are reportedly looking at the property's solar panels as they attempt to determine what caused the blaze.
Commenting on the incident a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 11.23am on Saturday, December 17 to reports of a house fire on Dunbar Hill, East Kilbride. Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene to extinguish the fire affecting a two-storey property.
"There were no reported casualties. Crews left after making the area safe."
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