MORE than £1,300 has been raised for a charity supporting the UK’s ‘fire family’ thanks to the dying wish of a Nether Stowey woman.

Pauline Foster survived a heart attack when first responders from the village fire station were the first on scene and helped to treat her.

Mrs Foster was given an extra 10 years of life before dying this summer after a short battle with cancer and she had asked her family to raise funds for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Her daughter Becki Woollan set up an online fund-raising appeal and together with other family members collected more at an event held in August as a celebration of Mrs Foster’s life.

Now, the family have visited Nether Stowey’s fire crews during a weekly drill night to mark the handing over of £1,305.

A spokesperson for the station said: “Ten years ago, Nether Stowey co-responders attended Pauline Foster, who was having a heart attack.

“Thanks to the crew that attended that day and performed life saving intervention, Pauline and her family were given an extra 10 years of love and memories.

“Pauline’s wish was for her family to fund-raise for the Fire Fighters Charity, and oh boy did they fund-raise.

“At the last count with online and offline donations, the Foster family have raised an amazing £1,305.

“A massive thank you for this very kind donation to a charity that helps serving and retired firefighters, along with their families, all over the UK.”

The Fire Fighters Charity helps with any health and wellbeing challenges faced by firefighters, control staff, and anybody else working in, or retired from, the UK’s fire services, as well as their families.

The charity also runs a 24-hour telephone line offering immediate crisis care for ongoing suicide and mental health issues for past and present fire services personnel.