Community raises thousands for storm-hit family farm

The co-owner of a storm-hit farm says the community's response to a fundraiser has been "completely overwhelming".

The pony shelter, play area and hutches at Porter's Farm in Portland, Dorset, were damaged by Storm Austen, which brought gusts of 75mph to the island, last Friday.

A fundraiser set up by a family friend has raised more than £5,000, which will be used to replace the pony shelter and build a new play area.

Lee Porter, who runs the farm with his wife, Charlotte, said: "We never dreamt that we would get anywhere near the amount that's raised.

"We're completely overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity."

The farm, which offers Highland Cow meet and greets and has a cafe, has been open for about four months.

Charlotte and Lee work full time alongside running it.

Lee said the couple "poured our absolute blood sweat tears, all of our savings, everything" into the farm to get it open.

"We knew it was going to be really, really tough this winter and then obviously [the storm] happened and we just thought, God, what are we going to do?

"There's nothing really that we could do. You've just got to let the storm obviously pass by and then reassess and see what we can do."

Porter said the main damage was to the shelter that houses four miniature Shetland ponies, which he estimated would cost about £2,000 to repair.

"I haven't actually punched any figures yet but the price of timber at the minute is through the roof," he said.

The rest of the money raised will go towards building a new children's play area.

The previous play area was temporary and the couple had already planned to replace it next year with a purpose-built play area, securely fixed into the ground.

Porter said the money raised will give them "a good start on it".

Porter said the couple had been "absolutely blown away" by the support.

"I think within 48 hours it was up to nearly four thousand pounds," he said.

"It was unbelievable - the first day, the first couple of hours, someone donated a thousand pounds.

"We don't know this guy, he's a customer of ours, he's been up here, his wife loves the Highland cows, but to donate a thousand pounds is something else really."