Well-wishers have raised £310,000 for a police office father who lost his wife and their two children in a Boxing Day house fire.

Fionnghuala Shearman, 38, and the couple's two children Eve, seven, and Ohner, four, were all killed in the fire at their home in Brimscombe, near Stroud, Gloucestershire which broke out at 3am.

Fionnghuala's husband, serving Gloucestershire police officer Tom Shearman, survived the blaze and managed to escape the flames.

That family's dog was also killed in the fire. 

Mr Shearman had desperately fought in vain to save his family for the inferno but was beaten back by the severity of the flames.

The couple had been woken by the fire and tried to reach their children in the bedroom at the back of the house, Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher said.

The parents were unable to break into their children's room through the inside so Mr Shearman smashed the nearby bathroom window in the hope he could get into the bedroom from the outside.

He was not able to break into his children's room.

Serving Gloucestershire police officer Tom Shearman with his wife of around ten years, Fionnghuala Shearman, and their children Eve, aged seven, and four-year-old son Ohner. Tragically, Mrs Shearman and their two children died in a Boxing Day fire 

Mr Shearman and Mrs Shearman. A Now, a GoFundMe set up for Mr Shearman has raised more than £313,000 in donations

Emergency services were called to a mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage in Brimscombe, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, at about 3am on Boxing Day

He tried to get back into he house to save his family back through the bathroom window, but by that time the fire had cut him off from them here too.

He tried to get in via the front and back doors but these were locked. At this point fire fighters arrived, but it was already too late for Mr Shearman's family inside. 

Mr Shearman was rushed to hospital but has since been discharged.

In the five days since the tragic fire, more than 15,000 people have donated over £313,000 to help Mr Shearman get back on his feet after losing everything that day.

One anonymous donor gave £10,000 to the cause on GoFundMe, and is listed as its top donation.

The fundraiser was started only three days ago, and organiser Victoria Armstrong said: 'THANK YOU.

'We have all learnt that sometimes there are no words.

'The loss to the families, friends and our community is almost unbearable but what Mr Shearman has already gone through, and now faces is unimaginable.'

A family photo of Mrs Shearman with her two children