EIGHT days after her family home was destroyed by fire Emily Anderson is relieved to have had confirmation from the insurance company that they have accepted liability and will pay out.

"When the house was on fire, sorting out the insurance was my way of coping," says Emily, adding that it has nonetheless been an anxious wait after the blaze in Wyedean Rise, Hereford, on May 29.

"I knew it was all in place, but I started worrying that the direct debit hadn't gone out. It's been a massive weight on my shoulders. You just don't know what to do when you find yourself in this position.

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

"We've had to chase estate agents ourselves and source our own property, but we have now found somewhere in Hereford, and move in this week – the insurance company will take care of the rent, though we still haven't had a penny from them."

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The house will, she says, be home for at least the next 12 months, though it's not ideal for her mum, who has mobility issues and had her own annexe at their Wyedean Rise home.

"She will have to sleep in the lounge, and there's only a downstairs loo, no downstairs shower room."

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

Emily, who is five months pregnant and soon to go on maternity leave from her fitness and party business, adds that her and her partner James's son Jeff is now back at school after half-term – "Riverside School have been amazing. Jeff associates riding his bike with the house going on fire, but hopefully he will be fine, though nobody has phoned us to check how he is or how Mum is. It baffles me that there is no welfare element."

The community, by contrast, have been incredibly supportive, as have James's employers, Woodstock Trading Company in Rotherwas: "They have been so kind and compassionate. There are so many local businesses I need to thank, too."

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

The house in Wyedean Rise was gutted by a fire on Bank Holiday Monday

The GoFundMe page started by her sister-in-law Laura Cooke, has so far raised more than £7,000 for the family: "It makes us realised now that all those donations of £5 and £20 add up to make a substantial difference."

But no amount of money, Emily has discovered, will replace some things. "I didn't realise I was sentimental," she says, "till I broke down over a cheap plastic Father Christmas musical toy that I will never see again."

Posting on her Facebook page, Emily admits: "We’ve all had a few moments, trying to stay strong for each other is hard and mentally draining but we are there for each other."

An investigation has confirmed that the fire on Bank Holiday Monday, May 29, was started by a barbecue in the garden next door.