Hello my friends,

this may seem like a strange request but I am moved to do it.

Recently a young couple that I am friends with had their life savings stolen by a fraudulent mortgage company.

They sent their deposit of £53,000; all the money they had saved in their lives together, to the company and it disappeared - it seems that it is going to be impossible to recover the money.

I am asking you my friends to give what you can to ease their situation and please share this with your friends.

My ultimate wish would be to be able to raise the entire amount but I know this may be too much to hope for.

This couple are the sweetest people. It is such a shame that this kind of thing always happens to the most trusting and decent people who cannot imagine that someone would do harm in this way.

I hope you can assist me in this attempt to put these people's life back together.