A victim of cowboy builders has managed to raise more than £14,000 with some help from "generous" GB News viewers.
Georgina Schwan, 41, from Buntingford in Hertfordshire, was scammed out of around £20,000 shortly after her breast cancer diagnosis and divorce from her husband of six years.
The single mum, who works as a teacher, appeared on GB News with Esther McVey and Phillip Davies earlier today to explain her struggle.
Schwan revealed she wanted to add a conservatory to her home in order to give her four-year-old son James something to inherit should the worst happen.
Georgina Schwan (right) and son James (left)
|GoFundMe
She told GB News: “I think the worst thing is it’s a bit like victim-blaming, isn’t it?
“Because I feel like an idiot, I feel like a little girl sometimes, I should have known better.”
Schwan said she was reassured adding a conservatory would help make her home more "rentable" in the future.
She added: "[There was] big emotional pressure for more to protect my boy. I’m not a wealthy person. It added a bit to my mortgage. I thought ‘great I’ll do that'.”
Explaining why she went with that specific building company, Schwan explained: “They sold it on them being a family business whose just expanding into the conservatory industry.
“I thought, especially after being ill myself, that would be a lovely way to spend my money. I’m a nice person. I’d love to support your business and you can support me too.”
The company provided a low quote and Schwan said she "really trusted them".
The cowboy builders have left a hole and piles of materials in her garden.
Georgina Schwan
|GB News
She said: “I’ve still got a big whole in my garden and I’ve got a huge pile of rubble so I can’t let my boy out there, we can’t play out there, it’s not safe.
“It is embarrassing but I work four days-a-week and I take care of my boy one-day-a-week and I’m just making ends meet.”
The 41-year-old single mother set up a GoFundMe page, named fix my home after builders ruined it, as she hopes to build a patio and remove the rubble.
Shortly after her appearance, a GB News viewer got in touch with McVey and Davies to share an update about Schwan's donations.
Esther McVey (left) and Phillip Davies (right)
|GB News
Reading out a message from GB News viewer Paul, Davies said: “Paul says since airing Georgina’s plight just earlier her crowding funding has increased from approximately £1,500 to almost £13,000.”
The Tory MP added: “There you go that’s how generous GB News viewers are.”
McVey also said: “We’ve got a lovely community and we look after each other.”