Old school friends of a woman whose husband died in a tragic accident have raised more than £3,000.
Jason North, 42, died after getting into difficulty in water while on holiday in South Wales, leaving his wife Rachel and their two children.
Now friends Elizabeth Jennings, Angela Howard and Clare Kewney, who all went to Tytherington School with Rachel, have launched a crowd-funding site to help raise money towards funeral costs.
The site has now raised £3,180 with many messages of support and condolences for Rachel and her family.
Elizabeth, 40, who now lives in Congleton, said: “We felt we wanted to do something proactive and positive for Rachel to show her how loved she is and how much support she and the family have around them.
“By setting up the crowd-funding we could at least take any financial worries away from her during this time so she can focus on her own wellbeing and her children.
“We’re absolutely amazed at the response, it’s amazing.”
Fellow fundraiser Clare Kewney, 40, who lives in Macclesfield, added: “We put a target of £800 but it quickly when past that so we put it up again - now every time we reset the target within a day or so we go past it again.
“It’s lovely because people have been leaving messages of support on there which are lovely and incredibly touching.
“Even people who don’t know Rachel and Jason are donating.
“It restores your faith in humanity and the compassion that people have.”
Jason, from Macclesfield, was on the beach at Three Cliffs Bay in Gower, near Swansea, on Saturday June 27, when his children got into difficulties in the water.
But he then had to be rescued from the water and given CPR on the beach before being airlifted to hospital.
He later died in hospital.
His two children were also taken to hospital but were not seriously hurt.
The money raised through the crowd-funding scheme will be spent on funeral expenses and to relieve any financial burden the family may feel during this traumatic time.
To donate to the cause go to crowdfunding.justgiving.com/north.
