A Worksop family have lost their home and almost all of their belongings in a devastating house fire on Wednesday 22 April 2026. All six members of the family – including a one-year-old granddaughter – escaped safely, but the home itself was destroyed in a matter of minutes. A friend has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help them buy immediate essentials and start rebuilding.

At a glance

  • What: House fire destroyed a family home in Worksop
  • When: Wednesday 22 April 2026
  • Family affected: Mel, Gareth and their children Rohan, Aris and Lyssia, plus their 1-year-old granddaughter Eleanor
  • Casualties: No injuries – all six escaped safely
  • Damage: Home destroyed; nearly all possessions lost
  • How to help: GoFundMe appeal set up by family friend Jet Grech

Roof “collapsed within eight minutes”

The fire is reported to have spread incredibly quickly, fuelled by the high winds across the East Midlands on Wednesday. According to the GoFundMe appeal posted by family friend Jet Grech, the roof of the home collapsed within eight minutes of the fire taking hold.

“In less than ten minutes, a lifetime of memories, clothing, toys, and essentials vanished.”

— Jet Grech, family friend, on the GoFundMe appeal

The family escaped with what they were wearing at the time. The youngest member, one-year-old Eleanor, was among those evacuated safely from the property.

The family

The fire affected the Marsh family, who are described in the appeal as having now lost “absolutely nothing other than the clothes on their back”. The family includes:

  • Mel and Gareth – parents
  • Sons Rohan and Aris
  • Daughter Lyssia
  • One-year-old granddaughter Eleanor

With the home now uninhabitable and all clothing, toys, baby essentials and personal possessions destroyed, the family face a long road back to anything resembling normality.

How to support the family

Family friend Jet Grech has set up a GoFundMe page to help the Marsh family buy immediate necessities such as clothing, baby supplies and household basics, and to begin replacing what was lost.

The original target was set at £1,600, and at the time of writing the appeal had already raised £863 from 52 donations – a strong early response from the local community.

You can donate any amount, or share the appeal, via the link below:

➤ Donate to the GoFundMe appeal

If you can't donate, sharing the appeal on Facebook or in local Worksop community groups also makes a huge difference. The more people who see it, the faster the family can begin to rebuild.

Other ways to help

If you would prefer to donate items rather than money – clothing, children's toys, baby supplies, or household essentials – the easiest route is to contact the appeal organiser directly via the GoFundMe page, who can co-ordinate with the family.

Other organisations who can sometimes assist families displaced by fire in Bassetlaw include:

  • British Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service – provides practical and emotional support to families affected by house fires. Contact details available via redcross.org.uk.
  • Bassetlaw District Council Housing Team – can advise on emergency and short-term housing options for families displaced by an emergency. Contact via the council switchboard.
  • Citizens Advice Bassetlaw – for advice on insurance, benefits and recovering essential documents.

Fire safety

Wednesday's blaze comes after a period of unusually high winds across Nottinghamshire, which can dramatically increase the speed at which a house fire spreads. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service regularly remind residents of basic home fire safety, including:

  • Test smoke alarms weekly – not just when the clocks change
  • Have a planned escape route from each room of the house, and rehearse it with children
  • Never leave cooking unattended – the most common cause of accidental house fires in the UK
  • Switch off and unplug electrical items before going to bed where possible

Free home fire safety checks are available from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service via notts-fire.gov.uk.

Got information?

If you're part of the Marsh family's wider network and would like to add to this story – for example, to share details of a collection point for donated items or a community fundraising event – please get in touch via our anonymous Tip Line.