KINDHEARTED tradespeople who met on Facebook page Band of Builders came to the rescue over the Bank Holiday weekend to help a couple whose house was completely destroyed in a fire – all for free.

Some 15 plumbers, builders, flooring specialists and plasterers travelled from as far away as Morecambe in Lancashire and North Yorkshire to help make the half-built home at Thorndon Cross habitable again.

The working party was organised by local plasterer Rob Morgan, who put out an alert on the Facebook page which brings together tradespeople from across the country to help others.Rob, originally from Okehampton and now living in Launceston, stepped into help the couple living in the house after going to price a job for them ­­— and finding them living in substandard conditions more than four years after a fire destroyed their home. ’The owners were left having to rebuild their home themselves because of a £200,000 shortfall in the payout from their home insurance,’ he said.‘They have spent the past four years rebuilding it themselves. They were living in a caravan in the garden for some of that time but that was falling apart. They have been without a working toilet for that whole time. ’They contacted me several months ago through a friend and asked me if I could price up some plastering. When I got there, though, and saw the conditions they were living in, there was no way I could charge them. They were using buckets to flush the toilet and they have got no hot water. I have been working there on and off for three months, just putting in a day here and there, and I’ve had materials donated.‘It got to the point where I was losing heart, though, because I didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere so I spoke to one of the lads on Band of Builders and he had word with Addam the founder. He put a callout on Band of Builders to try to get people to give me a hand.’Some 15 tradesmen came to the rescue and joined Rob for three days work over the Bank Holiday weekend, sleeping over in the house anywhere they could find a space. They were fortified by hot food donated by local firm Okehampton Fried Chicken.Their work was also made possible by donations of materials from local firms, including a job lot of plasterboard sold to them for just £1.‘The guys that have turned out this weekend have done a fantastic job,’ said Rob. ‘I can’t believe how much they have got done.Alongside the team, Rob’s wife Leann worked throughout the weekend on the project. ‘She’s been run ragged,’ he said. ‘She’s been going out to pick stuff up and ringing round suppliers.’Owner Chris Harrisson-Daniels, who suffers from ME and lives at the smallholding with her husband Bob, said: ‘The guys have been brilliant. We had plasterers, flooring specialists and carpenters and so many trades here over the Bank Holiday weekend and they offered their services and time for free.‘It is really quite humbling to have people willing to give up a beautiful sunny Bank Holiday and come and help us. They are really really good guys.’The team of volunteers spent the weekend installing a banister to make the landing safe, made major progress on a wet room and installed a shower and plastering.The group plan to put in another weekend of work over the late May Bank Holiday, when they hope to reinstate hot water. At the moment the occupants are relying on a small electric shower and kettles.‘We desperately need a boiler to do that so if someone can supply it or supply it so that we can get it fitted, that would be brilliant,’ said Rob. ‘The only form of heating they’ve got at the moment is a small electric log burner-effect fire which I gave them three months ago.’Anyone who can help can contact Rob via email at [email protected].