Neighbours rally after fire sweeps through gardens

Neighbours have rallied together after a fire ripped through their back gardens, a woman has said.

Eight gardens in Pollards, Crawley, were affected by the blaze at about 15:30 BST on Sunday, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said.

Gemma Favier has started a GoFundMe fundraiser after possessions including her son's fishing equipment were destroyed when her shed burned down.

She said that her neighbours had "open gardens now" and were "all wandering and consoling each other".

Four fire engines were sent to the scene, where two sheds were found "well alight", the fire service said.

Nobody was harmed and crews left by 18:30.

Favier said that her family pets also escaped unharmed.

The mother told the BBC that she was unloading her dishwasher by her kitchen window when she spotted flames, then went into her garden to see her neighbour's shed on fire.

"Eventually it hit my garden," she said. "It got my table and chairs and all the back of the fences, then it hit my shed."

The 43-year-old said that her neighbours had been "fantastic" while others had dropped round old fishing gear so that her son could continue his hobby.

"My granddad is the only other person that was a great fisher in our family. He sadly passed away last year but he'd given my son loads of bits and bobs," Favier said.

"That's all gone now. It's just really sad to be honest."

She added that her son had also lost his collection of Champions League footballs, the family's camping gear and a scooter in the blaze.

"The way I explained it to my family and friends is that it's literally like watching everything you have worked really hard for just be out of your control," Favier said.

"There's nothing you can do to stop it."

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.