Susan Dance, 55, was on a trip in Belgium with her children Rosie and Felix, both 14, when a friend called to tell her their home on Colonsay was on fire.
She told the Record: "My friend on the island, who is also a fire officer, phoned me to tell me the house had gone on fire."We have lost absolutely everything including belongings, all of my grandmother's diaries, photographs of the children and my mum's diaries. It is absolutely devastating. Mum Susan had recently finished a three-year renovation project on the property after moving in in 2010."We were just at the end of a renovation project. There was a new roof and it was looking wonderful.
Susan said: "We have received so much kindness and generosity since the fire. The community of just 135 people raised over £5,000 at a ceilidh and auction, in addition to over £5,000 raised on the fundraising page.