Kind hearted holiday-home owners from Falmouth and Helston have joined others from Cornwall to offer a holiday in their homes, free of charge, to residents of Grenfell Tower.

Nearly two weeks ago the west London tower block was engulfed in flames, killing 79 people and injuring many more.

One resident of Cornwall, Esmé Page, wished there was something she could do, so set up the Facebook page Cornwall Hugs Grenfell.

She has since been inundated with offers, and said the response from the people of Cornwall has been ‘amazing’.

Over 140 weeks of holiday have been pledged so far, which are available to residents of the tower, and firefighters who tried so bravely to help.

So far people from all over Cornwall have offered campsites, caravans, Airbnb rooms and luxury villas.

She said: “‘Having established that there is enormous enthusiasm for this idea, our job now is to develop an effective system.

“We are actively creating a community on the Cornwall Hugs Grenfell Facebook page and gathering pledges systematically at cornwallhugsgrenfell.org.

“Our vision is to have a mini bookings website, specifically for firefighters and residents to ensure quality, simplicity and respect.

“Malcolm Bell from Visit Cornwall has very kindly offered to develop this marketing micro-site, while we focus on building the community and gathering the pledges.

“We look forward to working closely with Visit Cornwall and sustainable tourism expert, Manda Brookman, from CoaST, who has already given generously of her time.

“It is important to us that the breaks are straightforward for the accommodation providers and that firefighters and residents have choice and can book with dignity and respect. This is vital.

“This whole idea pinged into my head while I was watching the fire commissioner, Danny Cotton, speaking on the day of the fire of her concern for the welfare of her officers, after their ‘war-zone’ experiences.

“I knew there was something Cornwall could do to offer the firefighters sanctuary and put a beacon of hope on the horizon for the residents.

“The wave of Cornish compassion that flooded back to my suggestion has been humbling, with people giving whatever they can, including talents, time, encouragement.

“Many people have said they had had this idea but weren’t sure how to put it into action.

“That is our job now and I’m very grateful to the smart women who have gathered around me to help.

“It’s great to be part of what is clearly a national movement with similar offers arising across the country.”