AN ANDOVER man has handed over nearly £12,000 in donations to four families left homeless after a gas explosion.

As previously reported, Ben Farnham set up a fundraiser for residents after a gas explosion destroyed their homes in Ashford in May.

Ben, who lived in the Kent town for more than a decade, was only expecting his Just Giving page to raise £200, but it ended up totalling nearly £12,000.

It meant the 37-year-old was recently able to hand the money over to the families, with kind-hearted donors raising around £3,000 for each family.

The production supervisor also got businesses involved, with Asda among them, donating £500 in household essentials to get the re-homed families back on their feet.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Ben said: "Ashford Borough Council didn't want any publicity. It was all done over the phone. But they were very grateful indeed. It was quite an emotional thing.

"I can't replace their memories but hopefully it will go towards getting them some possessions. I am just glad I could help.

"I came from Ashford and lived there for 11 or 12 years. It always had a great community spirit and I didn't expect [the fundraiser] to grow so big.

"I got businesses involved as well and had a couple of other people collecting the donations. I am in Andover so I was trying to go there and come back.

"It is a big thank you, not just from me. I just set the page up.

"We had a lot of donations everywhere, we had businesses donating and it has all gone and helped the people that needed it."

On May 4, the lives of four families in Willesborough, Ashford changed forever, as their homes were destroyed by a gas explosion, leaving occupants fighting for their lives in hospital, all of their belongings gone. Among them was a 99-year-old woman and her son.

Ben moved to near Weyhill two years ago, to live with his partner Samantha Heaney, who has lived here for 19 years. But he still runs a popular community Facebook page ‘Ashford Read All About it’.

Ben said that the families involved have been rehomed, with the borough council planning on demolishing the ruined homes and rebuilding them.

"You will never forget the incident till the day that you die," he added. "Some of them have burns that will stay there."