Tom Crump is living in his broken down van in Doune with his three dogs, Missy, Marley and Sifa. (Image: Dave Johnston / Alba Pictures) Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter More Newsletters Subscribe Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you.
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This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice A tourist spending Christmas sleeping in a car park after his house burned down has thanked the village community for coming to his aid. Tom Crump, 35, travelled to Scotland with his three dogs last month but has been left with nothing to return to after police from his hometown of Derbyshire called to say his home had been destroyed in a fire.
He was about to go back when his truck also broke down. Despite the bad luck Tom’s spirits have been lifted by the small community of Doune in Stirlingshire. Read More Related Articles Scots football fans ‘injured in stadium car crash’ as clubs thank emergency services Read More Related Articles Vulnerable Scots witnesses left to wait hours over delays in bringing criminals into court The tree surgeon said: “The locals have been absolutely amazing, bringing me heaters, food, picking up my washing, bringing the dogs food and even letting me use their shower.
“I’ve been walking people’s dogs for money and I’m contacting all tree surgeon companies to see if I can get work. ” He added: “I’ve lost everything, all my possessions, the value in the property and all the improvements I had made which I had spent around £45,000 of the inheritance my dad had left me. ” Tom Crump and his dogs are living in his van Tom’s two-bed terraced house suffered so much damage in the blaze, caused by an electrical fire, that the building has been left with structural damage and is deemed unsafe.
He now cannot return to the property, which he bought for £55,000 in 2017. He’s now in negotiations with his insurance company. Tom, originally from Worcester, had been enjoying spending time in Loch Lomond, Argyll and Bute and Aviemore in the Highlands.
He’d originally planned to return home after the fire but his truck then broke down and he was left stranded. The tree surgeon was towed by a friendly local from Callander, in Stirlingshire, to a car park in Doune. Top news stories today Pregnant nurse killed in lorry crash Weather warnings for snow and ice Dad to celebrates after beating cancer Woman pushed husband in front of car Tom said: “Last month, we travelled up to Loch Lomond for a week and then spent time in Aviemore.
It was just lovely to get away. The police called and told me an electrical fire had started at my home at around 3am. “It has demolished the house and I can’t bring myself to look at any pictures of what’s left.
It really meant a lot to me when I bought the house as I’d been homeless a few times as a child and I really thought this was going to be me getting somewhere. “I was stuck in Callander and a local garage tried to help me out but said I’d be better coming to Doune for a specialist garage that would have the part I need. Tom now has no plans to leave Doune “A local towed me here and I picked this spot because it’s just lovely.
I’m away so haven’t been working so I’ve not money for repairs. So I’ve been sleeping and living in the truck along with the dogs. We all just pile in together.
” Tom said he’s has been so touched by the generosity of the Scots he has encountered that he now has no plans to return home. Tom said: “Stirling Council put me up for four days but because I have no local links to the area they can’t help me as much as they would like. “But I’ve definitely decided I’m going to stay.
The people have been so lovely. I’ve been chatting to everyone who walks their dogs down this way. I’m so thankful to my dogs who have given me a purpose and have really kept me going.
” One local said: “Tom is a really lovely guy who has had a turn of bad luck but people who live nearby have been helping him out where we can. ” Asked about the fire at Tom’s house, a spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said: “An investigation into the cause of the fire found that it was accidental and the file was closed. ” The local fire service said: “A joint investigation determined the most probable of the fire to be accidental due to an unspecified electrical fault.
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From: dailyrecord
URL: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-villagers-help-man-spending-31740281
