Friends in cash plea to help Rowley Regis blaze family
A group of friends have joined forces to raise funds for a mother who was badly burned after being engulfed in flames during a house fire. Mother-of-two Louise Pilkington suffered 15 per cent burns to her head and neck.
The fire broke out at her home in Rowley Regis early on Sunday. The 31-year-old had to put the flames out by rolling around on the lawn at the front of the house in Haden Walk. Neighbours rushed out to help before turning their attention to her baby daughter who was still inside.
She was rescued by fire crews and taken to Birmingham Children's hospital. Miss Pilkington was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for treatment, where she remains.
Now her friends Charlie Hands, Emma Bambrick and Tracy Pearsall are trying to do all they can to raise funds for her and her two daughters.
Miss Hands, aged 26, of Witley Crescent, has set up a Facebook group calling for donations of clothes, toys and household appliances to help Miss Pilkington and her daughters, aged nine and 13 months.
She said: "Louise is a very down to earth person.
"Someone you can always have a laugh with and very fun to be around. She doted on her two girls.
"She also loves her animals, and her house was like a zoo with birds, dogs and cats. I'm afraid I don't know what happened to them in the fire."
Miss Hands, whose daughter attends Blackheath Primary School with Miss Pilkington's daughter, said: "She would have lost everything in the fire. Also the kids will have nothing for Christmas."
Miss Hands said the two girls are staying with their grandparents while their mother, who works as a barmaid, is in hospital.
Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can call Miss Hands on 07858 642569 or go to the Facebook page Help Group For Rowley Regis Fire Family.
