Worksop paramedic loses keepsakes of late mum in 'terrifying' garden buildings fire
A Worksop couple's 'dream garden' they had saved for and built over three years was reduced to black ash by a fire that swept through from a grass bank to the rear of their home.
Gary Brownhill and Tammy Foster of Dryden Dale, Worksop, are devastated by the damage left by flames that engulfed their garden buildings, including a workshop and a summer house with garden bar.
Work tools, garden equipment and two new bikes were destroyed in the blaze, along with the summer bar in which they had hoped to spend many more relaxed evenings with friends and family.
Tammy, 53, said: "We moved here three years ago mainly because of the garden, which is south facing and had the space for us to create what we wanted.
"Gary is a paramedic, so a stressful job, and the garden with summer house and bar was made to be somewhere he could unwind, and have a few friends round.
"He's also keen on woodwork - hence the workshop, and on Saturday had just returned from a craft fayre when this happened.
"I saw smoke but thought it was a garden fire next door. Then there was a banging on the door, which was our neighbour alerting us that the fence was on fire.
"Gary shut the dog in and we went outside but the heat and smoke was choking. Flames were about 30ft high - it was very frightening.
"It seemed an age before the fire service arrived, but they were fantastic.
"There were four appliances and they were here some time as the flames kept flaring up again.
"There's a lane at the back where people walk their dogs and we've seen some small fires up there in the past, but this is the first incident we've had here.
"The cause of the fire hasn't yet been confirmed."
Inside the summer house Gary had kept memorabilia, including photographs of his late mum, who died during the Covid period.
"He can't replace those. I was so angry at first, now we are just so sad at the loss of all we worked for," added Tammy.
A family of four living next door also had their garden wrecked by the fire, again with bikes and garden equipment all gone with their shed.
Thankfully they had spotted the flames behind the garden fence, and called the fire service promptly, or the consequences could have been worse.
Gary and Tammy estimate the damage to their property to be around £18,000, and are waiting to hear if their garden buildings are covered by insurance.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Fire Service said: "Twenty firefighters from Worksop, Edwinstowe and Warsop Fire Stations attended a fire in the open on Rayton Lane, Worksop, on Saturday, 25 July, following a call at 4.47pm.
"This fire was in the garden of a property, and there were multiple seats of fire. The fire had rapidly got out of hand and spread to the summer house.
"This unfortunately did spread to the property; however, no injuries were reported and everybody was out of the property.
"There is no cause for this incident as of yet."