A FARM shop owner has thanked the community for their support after his business and home was destroyed in a fire.

Brett Wilkinson, owner of The Farm Shop at Ombersley, said thousands of people have offered to help him get back on his feet after the fire, which saw his shop – and home - completely wrecked.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Someone delivered two car loads of food and clothes.

“Someone even offered me a house to stay in which is fully furnished. A man saw me sitting outside on the car park and said I could stay in his house that he’s not using in Fernhill Heath. But I told him I wanted to stay next to my sinking ship.”

Mr Wilkinson said he has nothing left, as the fire burnt down his shop with £150,000 worth of stock inside and also his house, which is situated behind the store.

He has been camping in the store’s car park since the fire on Saturday (May 23) afternoon.

He added: “I try and stay out of the limelight as much as I can, so all this support I have received has been a shock really.

“I have only just stopped crying about it all. I am not used to all this positive support. I find it hard to accept any help as I don’t want to seem like a beggar.

“I started off from nothing, with £20 in my pocket, and it’s taken me 16 years to get to where I am. And now I will have to start from square one again.”

Builders and architects have offered their services free of charge to help rebuild the shop.

Mr Wilksinson said he will re-open the shop today (May 27) from 10am to 4pm and will be selling compost and plants as “that’s all that is left.”

He added: “I have never had a day off before so I’m excited to reopen. If I had any longer off work, I’d find it difficult to get my motivation back.”

Eight fire crews were sent out to tackle the blaze at the shop on Holt Fleet Road.

Mr Wilkinson was out delivering supplies to people self-isolating when he received a call to say that the shop was on fire.