TRADERS have stepped in to refurbish a family charity shop for free in a bid to save it from closure.

The Fundraising Shop, in Sutton Road, Southend, was on the verge of closing for good following a building job which its owners said resulted in thousands of pounds worth of damage and disruption rather than the planned improvement.

The shop is run by Sarah Riley, whose step father, Mark Bradley, paid more than £9,000 for the initial job.

After spreading the word of the disruption and imminent closure of the shop online, Mr Bradley received dozens of offers to fix the store up for free by various traders.

Mr Bradley also had offers of cash donations and appliances to help keep the store afloat.

The traders have set to work on fixing up the store, which will now be able to remain open.

Mr Bradley has offered a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has come forward to help the business.

He said: “It’s absolutely overwhelming.

“I made the post on Facebook to [tell people about the problem] and in response I’ve had people come forward and pretty much save the store.

“A person I must thank is Lee Webster, who has been responsible for setting up the refurbishment operation.

“I have a team of guys in now who are very kindly on their way to fixing up the store.”

He added: “I cannot believe there have been this many good people come forward to offer all this without taking any money.”

The previous work was meant to include an extension, but Mr Bradley claimed the work was poorly done.

Among the main problems was a concrete floor having been laid before a toilet was fitted, meaning it was not properly attached, with drainage pipes fitted the wrong way, meaning rainwater leaked onto the walls causing damp and mould.

The Fundraising Shop has been run by Ms Riley for four years and has sold products to raise money for a variety of charities including Cancer Research.

Thanks to the many businesses which have come forward, the shop will be able to continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

Mr Bradley added: “A few weeks ago we were resigned to the fact that we [were in a difficult position] and that a lot of money was lost, and our business had to close and we would have to sell up.

“Now, I have dozens of people offering a helping hand and getting the place fixed for us to keep.”

He added: “It’s amazing, and I’m a bit speechless.

“These guys truly deserve all the recognition they can get.”

The shop has also had cash donations of more than £150 to cover any repairs.