Dad's tribute to 'greatest humans' after tragic fire

A POLICE officer who lost his wife and two children in a house fire on Boxing Day has paid tribute to them as "three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence".

- CLAIRE HAYHURST AND ELEANOR STOREY

Nu Shearman with children Eve and Ohner, who all died in a house fire near Stroud on Boxing Day

(Gloucestershire Constabulary/PA)

Tom Shearman attempted to rescue his family but was beaten back by the severity of the blaze that destroyed their home in Brimscombe, near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

His wife Fionnghuala Shearman, known as Nu, died alongside their children Eve, seven, and four-year-old Ohner, and the family's dog Hutch.

Mr Shearman, an officer with Gloucestershire Police, was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been discharged.

He paid tribute to his family on a GoFundMe appeal, which was launched on Sunday and has reached more than £380,000 in donations, in a post shared by police.

"I have stared at my keypad for what seems like an eternity waiting for the words to appear," he wrote.

"I have no way to thank any of you for the unbelievable, out-of-this-world generosity that you have shown to me in the darkest of hours.

My family had its very core, its very essence, ripped from it in the most violent way

TOM SHEARMAN

"My life, the lives of my loved ones, my friends and the whole community changed on Boxing Day. Most importantly, and tragically, three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence were taken from not just me, but all of us.