An army of tradesmen have clubbed together to help a family who have spent months living in a caravan.
Work began on Pam and Adrian Hill's Stapleford house in June last year but the project stopped in February and the couple say they have since been living in a caravan.
Now, dad-of-four Liam Barkes, a self-employed kitchen and bathroom fitter for Barkes Interiors, has come to the family's rescue.
Liam, 32, of Ilkeston, said he saw Pam’s post warning people about the building work.
Pam and Adrian paid around £60,000 to improve their property and they expected the extension would take about 16 weeks to complete.
He said: “When I saw Pam’s post, I got in touch the same day.”
Liam said he recruited his friends and had offers from builders, plumbers, plasters and electricians from all over the country to help out.
He said: “At the moment I’m trying to get what we can done for free.
“We want to get the house closed up for Christmas so we can get the heating on upstairs.
“The offers of help have been flooding in and we will do whatever we can to help. I’ve had over 100 messages of people offering to help in just the last week. It could take several months but at the minute we’re trying to get people to give up the odd day to help.
“I spent the weekend redoing the pipework and someone else ripped all the electrics out and rewired it.”
The family told Nottinghamshire Live they had been able to live in alternative accommodation initially but moved into the caravan in around February and March of this year.
The couple paid around £60,000 to improve their property and they expected the extension would take about 16 weeks to complete.
Their daughter Gabby, 18, who has autism and ADHD, has also been sleeping in the four berth touring caravan.
Mrs Hill, a former social worker, said the family were 'lucky' to have the caravan, adding "we can't afford to live anywhere else".
Part of the project was to extend the back of the property and increase the size of an existing dormer. The family, who bought the bungalow in October 2018, chose S Booth Developments to lead the project.
Director and owner of the company, Steve Booth, 42, previously said: "This is one unhappy customer.
"We tried to finish the job anyway, I had a few guys in there, sub-contractors, to do certain bits that I don't do myself.
"I got very, very ill - just stress levels and so on, personal problems - and couldn't be there as much to supervise as I'd have liked to.
"So that is my fault, that is my responsibility."
Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Pam Hill called Liam and his team “a Christmas miracle”.
She said: “We are really humbled by it and so grateful.
“I spent the weekend crying because of them being so wonderful, we are bowled over by it all.
“Liam has been absolutely amazing, he coordinated an awful lot of friends to help. I was overwhelmed by the unexpected gestures, it’s so touching and I can’t thank them enough.
“He has given us back some hope.”
Pam said the issues are so complex that there “isn’t a chance” the family could fix it on their own.
She said there is still no heating, no electric and no door to their home.
A crowdfunder for the family has raised more than £650 to pay for materials.
She added: “Gabby said it was the best Christmas present ever, she thinks Liam is absolutely brilliant. It has put a smile on her face.”
You can donate for the crowdfunder here.
