A CHARITY who provide vulnerable families with free furniture have thanked Herald readers for getting them back on the road after their delivery van’s tyres were slashed.

We told how heartless vandals targeted the van of West Coast Furniture Bank last month.

The Stevenston-based service were on route to deliver a washing machine to a mother of five when they were left stuck due to damage to two of their tyres.

Fiona McMahon, 60, who runs the charity with her husband George McMahon, 62, feared the cost of repairs would leave families in the lurch.

But thanks to kind readers they were able to drop off the goods to the Kilwinning mum within days as they raised enough to get new tyres.

Fiona told the Herald: “There were some people who saw the article who gave us money. A businessman from Troon who owns a landscaping company called up and donated cash as well.

“We were able to the van up to Saltcoats to get the tyres done – the money covered that. It was just under £200 which nearly the cost per week to hire the van.”

“The lady who needed the furniture was so happy. She phoned us up when our first load of washing was on to thank us.”

The charity has been rushed off their feet recently taking 15 referrals per week.

But they are desperate to secure their own van and have welcomed kind donations as they have now hired four new volunteers.

Fiona added: “We hire a van which costs £250 plus £100 diesel, that is killing us, so we are trying to get a van that is our van.

“We’ve been really busy taking on 15 referrals a week and people are starting to donate again. COVID’s lifted a wee bit so we’ve got new volunteers who are raring to go.”