A COMMUNITY has been rallying to the aid of a young child left motherless by tragic house fire in Grange Park.

Police have yet to confirm officially the identity of the woman who died in the Holbein Close blaze, but she is believed to be a single mother in her early 30s.

Neighbours said the woman's nine-year-old son was staying at an aunt's house on Sunday night when the fire raged. They have already set up a fundraising appeal for the little boy.

Appeal organiser Rachel George said: "He has only got the clothes he was wearing. He hasn't got anything."

By collecting house to house across the Holbein estate she has already raised more than £300 and received a number of offers of help from shops and businesses.

ASDA, which has stores in West Swindon and Haydon Wick, has offered to kit the boy out in a complete wardrobe and to give him a bike, which he is known to have wanted for Christmas.

Store spokesman Helen Winfield said: "It was an horrific incident. If we can do something for a nine-year-old boy who is left with absolutely nothing then we will."

Donations have also come in from nearby sweetshops and the Sainsbury's supermarket in Swindon town centre has donated a hamper of food. Sunday's tragic fire has left many residents around the Holbein estate mourning a young mother who was said to be particularly popular with children.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "Everybody's walking around with a face on them like hell.

"Some just burst into tears when they found out."

Paying tribute to the dead woman she said: "She really was loved by the children around here. Lots of them used to go around to her house to play. My son went to school in tears because he was so upset.

"The little boy doted on his mum. He worshipped the ground she walked on.

"He's a lovely little boy with a heart of gold."

An investigation is under way into the cause of the blaze, which started at around 11pm on Sunday.

Flames were spotted billowing out of a downstairs window of the mid-terrace house and police who arrived first at the scene tried to kick the front door in to look for survivors. Fire crews from Swindon and Westlea quickly brought the fire under control but tragically too late to prevent loss of life.

Appeal organiser Rachel George thanked those who had already made donations and urged anyone wishing to make a contribution to contact her on 634176.