'I spent 25 years in there and it's all gone up in flames'

Neil Fitton, a small business owner from Radcliffe, is heartbroken after a fire at Pioneer Mill destroyed his stock car racing firm, NFR Fabrications, and took with it memories of his late wife, Kay. After over 25 years in the mill, he estimates losses of around £50,000, and unfortunately, he wasn’t insured due to previous flooding issues. Among the losses is Kay’s BriSCA F1 car, which held sentimental value as it was used in her funeral. The fire broke out while Neil was away at a stock car meet, and he returned to find his workshop had been devastated. Despite the material losses, Neil emphasises that the memories and the business they’d built together are irreplaceable. He finds comfort in the support from the close-knit stock car racing community, well aware of Kay’s legacy. While initially hesitant, he’s opened up to accepting help through a GoFundMe page that’s raised over £8,000, intending to restore his late wife’s car. Neil reflects on the challenge of moving forward, saying, “You’ve got to keep going, got to keep the business going.”

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News