Dream Home Reduced to Ashes in Suspected Arson Attack
A young couple's excitement at starting their life together has been tragically cut short after their first home was deliberately set on fire and completely destroyed. Lyla Griffin, 18, and her boyfriend Neo Stamp, 19, were just days away from moving into their wooden cabin near Yeovil, Somerset, when it was burned to the ground in a suspected arson attack.
A Father's Generous Gift Goes Up in Smoke
The cabin and its land were a generous gift from Lyla's father, Matty Griffin, 47, a groundworker who had worked hard to purchase the £60,000 property. The family had spent a further £10,000 furnishing the home with new items, including furniture, electronics, and cookers, alongside priceless sentimental possessions.
"It was a gift. I worked very hard to get it," Mr Griffin stated, his investment and hopes for his daughter's future now literally in ashes. The couple had planned to pay him back gradually, seeing it as a helping hand to start their independent life.
The Devastating Discovery and Total Loss
The catastrophe unfolded in the early hours of October 28. An electrician passing the property spotted smoke and alerted a neighbour, who immediately called the family. Matty Griffin rushed to the scene but arrived to find the cabin already completely engulfed in flames.
Fire crews from Yeovil, Martock, and Somerton were called at around 7am and battled the blaze for three hours, eventually requiring additional support and equipment. The "wooden clad" property was confirmed as a total loss.
In a crushing blow, the family revealed the property was not insured. "Everything we put into it is gone," said Mr Griffin. "All our time, all our effort, all our money, all gone."
Emotional Fallout and Police Investigation
Lyla, who was staying at her grandmother's house, was given the heartbreaking news. "I thought 'oh my baby pictures are in there'," she shared. "I was so sad and it was a let down because we worked so hard and we were so proud to move into it."
Avon and Somerset Police are investigating the incident as a suspected arson attack. Mr Griffin speculated that jealousy or a desire for the land could be motives, mentioning that a neighbour's camera had picked up what appeared to be two torches in the area.
The couple's plans for a new life by Christmas have been shattered. They will now move back into Mr Griffin's house, which will become crowded, affecting even his six-month-old baby's sleeping arrangements. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by Lyla's stepmother to help the family recover some of their devastating financial losses.
