JUST over a year ago the McDonald family in Worcester suddenly found themselves without a wife and mother.

On her way to deliver Christmas presents to her family in Scotland in November 2006, Mary was involved in a car accident and died the day before her 35th birthday.

Her husband Stuart and four children Louise, aged 17, Roddy, 14, Donna, aged nine and Lynsey, eight were left devastated - and for six months tried to struggle on without any help.

After being told about the Worcester-based bereavement charity Noah's Ark by a police family support officer, Mr McDonald decided to try it.

"For the first few months we were just shocked and we got through on autopilot," said Mr McDonald. "We had support from our neighbours and the children's schools, but having just moved down to the city from Glasgow we didn't have our network of friends around to help. So I decided to try Noah's Ark as there was a terrible loneliness in me."

The couple had been planning another child and Mr McDonald wanted to start his own business. But, instead he had to give up his job as a bus driver to look after his family.

"It was the loss of Mary but also our future and the kids' future, which we thought we had lost," said Mr McDonald, who lives in Sedge Close, Dines Green. "But going to Noah's Ark has been an eye opener. We still have tears some days and the kids miss their mum. But we have had the help to get through it. "

For the McDonald's, being given the opportunity to meet others in similar situations when they attended the residential weekends was the key.

"The weekend was fantastic and it just opened us all up and took us out of our loneliness," said the 44-year-old. "It was one of the most amazing experiences. Kids need to come away from their parents to come out of themselves. And that is just what happened."

Six months on from seeking the charity's help, the family are now on the road to recovery and still keep in close contact with many friends they met along the way.

"Noah's Ark reached out to us when we first needed them. They came to us and said it would be OK, and I believe them now. I wasn't sure if they could, or how, but we have."

This year they are planning to climb the three peaks so they can raise money for the charity which helped them in their darkest days.

"We now know it is OK to cry and to feel sad. But they also give you a feeling of hope. We now never have bad days, just good days but sometimes there are bad bits in it. But we smile every day now," he said.