Centre collecting donations for Rugby family devastated by house fire asks for temporary halt after being overwhelmed

The Benn Partnership Centre on Railway Terrace has been the drop-off point for donations of toys, clothes and household goods for the family - but the sheer volume of donations means the centre has asked for a temporary halt.

A spokesperson praised the 'heartening' response of Rugbeians, stating the centre had been busy over the weekend and 12 people had come in this morning to donate, with 12 more calling to ask if more donations were needed.

The spokesperson thanked Rugbeians for their generosity, adding that the huge volume of items means that the group must now ask for donations to be temporarily halted while the family is asked about their needs.

The Wentworth Road fire broke out shortly before 3am on November 15, destroying the semi-detached house's ground floor and leaving a mother and three children in hospital, with one of the children, a five-year-old boy, in a critical but stable condition.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and has since been released on bail until December while enquiries continue.

A Gofundme page set up for the family has so far exceeded its £500 target and raised £2,905. Click here to donate.