'Amazing' Peterborough 12-year-olds brave the rain for sponsored walk after raising £12,000 for arson hit signal box

A pair of 12-year-old boys who were left devastated when a railway signal box was destroyed in an arson attack in Peterborough said ‘nothing can stop us’ after setting off on a 10 mile sponsored walk.

Train mad friends Harry Cowley and Oliver Walke r were left in tears when the Nene Valley Railway (NVR) signal box at Orton Mere was burnt out in the attack last month.

But rather than be defeated by the fire, the pair set out to fundraise to bring it back to it’s former glory, planning a sponsored walk along the length of NVR, from Woodston to Wansford.

‘Nothing can stop us today’

The boys, who both attend Nene Park Academy, had hoped to raise £1,000 – but by the time the walk started at 10am this morning (Thursday, April 6), they had raised more than £12,000.

And even has heavy rain fell at the start of the walk, the two lads were in high spirits, as they were joined by the firefighters who helped put the blaze out and members of their family.

Harry said: My mum said she overheard one of our friends talking, saying they couldn’t believe we had raised more than £10,000 for the signal box.

"Nothing can stop us today – unless it starts hailing.”

‘We wanted to support them and raise a bit more for them’

Oliver said it was nice the firefighters had joined them on the walk, and that they had not been expecting to raise so much money.

Firefighters Kevin Duke and Sam Pumpr, from the Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade were called to the blaze in the early hours of March 13, said they had been very impressed by Harry and Oliver’s efforts.

Kevin said: “We attended the incident. What the two lads have done is amazing so we wanted to support them and raise a bit more for them.

Sam said: “They have done an amazing job, so hopefully today, i know the weather will not be the best but hopefully by the end of it there will be a little more in the pot.”

Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Peterborough cllr Nick Sandford and Bella Saltmarsh turned up to congratulate the lads on their achievement.

The arson attack on the signal box was one of a number that took place in the Ortons in March. A number of cars and vans were also destroyed over the space of two weekends in the area, including several at an assisted living complex, which resulted in homes having to be evacuated.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the arsons. Two men, aged 30 and 32, arrested on suspicion of arson, have been released on bail, with conditions, to appear at Thorpe Wood Police Station on June 22. A 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, escaping lawful custody and being concerned in the supply of drugs.has been bailed until June 24.

To donate to Harry’s fundraising page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/nene-valley-railway-signal-box and to raise money for Oliver’s page, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sarah-walker-788