Railway manager Stu Harris said he 'was in bits' when he saw the damage to the site in Eccleshall

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A family-favourite destination has been almost completely destroyed by a fire. Hilcote Valley Railway Station in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, went up in flames in a blaze that caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage.

The fire - which happened on March 25 - was believed to have been sparked by a neighbouring bonfire. And now the minatare railway is out of action until repairs can be made to the volunteer-led site.

Railway manager, Stu Harris, said he was left "in bits" when he saw the destruction. The 60-year-old told BlackCountryLive: "The work we've put in to building the station, it was beautiful and unique - it is devastating. I was just in bits."

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The alarm was raised by an employee at Flecthers Garden Centre where the railway is located. He had gone to retrieve his car at 5.30pm when he noticed the blaze.

"When I first heard about the fire I thought it was a joke. But then I heard it in one of the lad's voice that something was wrong," Stu said. He contacted his son Corey, 18, who also volunteers at the railway and he headed straight there.

"My son shot there from Rugeley and got there before me as I was travelling from Burntwood," Stu said. "He said 'dad you're not going to believe this, we're going to lose the lot.' I told him to get the locos out of the shed."

He added: "I shot over and there were six fire engines there and the place was in a right mess. I could not believe what I was seeing.

"Luckily, it didn't spread that far. The fire service were brilliant and got it under control. A neighbouring house had a bonfire and thought it was out so went inside to eat their dinner.

"It was then that it spread. If the employee's car wasn't in view of the fire then everything would have been destroyed, I don't think there'd be a garden centre anymore."

Stu became involved in the railway station in 2018 after befriending the previous manager Mick Andrews. Sadly, Mick passed away a few months later.

"He was a smashing old boy. We decided to help out even more. We completed platform 2 and dedicated it to Mick," he said.

"A memorial bench is there alongside his cap and both of them survived the fire along with his plaque."

Stu has now set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes of raising enough money to fix the railway station. It has so far raised more than £2,000.

The day after the fire, locals turned up to the site and wanted to help but were turned away until the insurance company had completed its assessment.

Stu said: "We had about a dozen people turn up the day after the fire to help which was incredible. I've been blown away by the help. As soon as the insurance have finished their assessment I'll be back there to try to sort it all out."

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said: "Firefighters were called to a commercial premises on Stone Road, Eccleshall, at 5.30pm on Friday, March 25, following reports of a hedge fire. Crews from Penkridge, Stafford, Eccleshaw, Newcastle and Rising Brook attended the scene alongside a specialist environmental resource.

"Upon attendance, the blaze had spread to surrounding buildings in the area. A 1,000 litre diesel tanker was also affected. Six breathing apparatus, two main jets and two hose reel jet were used to extinguish the fire at 6.30pm.

"Water was supplemented from a nearby natural resource. The cause of ignition is believed to be accidental, as a result of a controlled burn in the nearby area which had spread."

Station Manager Lee Chevin, of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We urge the public to ensure they are cautious when burning materials during warmer weather. Fires can spread to surrounding wood, fence panels, foliage and other furniture rapidly and can quickly become difficult to contain.

"Firefighters have worked proactively in order to mitigate large scale damage to the area and have acted swiftfully in restricting the spread of the blaze. We will continue to support the business owners and issue post-fire advice where applicable."

You can view the GoFundMe page here.