Local residents and businesses in Newcastle-upon-Tyne have raised more than £2,000 for an estate agent whose offices were torched by thieves last weekend.

A fundraising page has been set up for Tony Fairs, owner of Fairs Estates in Fenham, after thieves are believed to have stolen two Apple Mac computers, a laptop and more than £1,000 cash from the till before setting fire to the office.

He told local paper the ChronicleLive that he believed this incident would be the end for the business, but now says the money raised will help get him back on his feet.

He said: “When it first happened, I was devastated.

“It is unbelievable how much help I have had.

“This is the business community coming together and it means it’s just going to be a setback, not the end of the world like I first thought.”

He also praised the Geordie spirit, adding: “I don’t think you would get this type of support and reaction anywhere else but here.”

Police and fire services are still investigating the break-in and fire.