A British family's dream home in the Greek mountains has been destroyed by wildfires just days before they were set to relocate there permanently.
Rory Clifford, 36, and Stephanie Harper, 35, built their ideal home in the Peloponnese region in southern Greece. They had already moved their belongings, registered their twin daughters Evangeline and Ivaria, eight, at a local school for September, and were preparing for the move next week. Stephanie is also expecting twins, and they have a 19-month-old daughter, Athena.
Wildfires ravage the region
Rapid wildfires have torn through parts of Greece in recent days, obliterating homes and their contents. The family's property, purchased in 2023, was completely burned down.
Stephanie told the Mirror: "We are a very resilient family but this has knocked it out of us completely. The emptiness and sorrow has been overwhelming."
"A dream and hard work not just from us but the Greek community who helped us achieve our home... just stolen in seconds. I can't describe the grief, as it's not just the house we built, it's all the cherished memories and the home we created inside."
Financial and emotional toll
The loss has left the family confined to a one-bedroom flat in Hastings, East Sussex. They had invested well over €300,000 (approximately £257,000), transforming the property into the perfect place to raise a family in the sunshine, where they also planned to bring their three rescue dogs.
Stephanie explained that the funds came from running a designer furniture business together, along with savings and loans. The couple sold everything they owned to facilitate the move, which they had been organising for more than a decade.
They had also spent upwards of £10,000 to replace 2km of piping up the mountainside to secure a water supply for the property.
Recovery efforts
Stephanie is worried that, even with insurance and coverage, they will require approximately €100,000 (£85,000) to recover. She said they're refusing to let the ordeal defeat them, adding: "We will still do anything for our children's happiness and future, which is why we can't give up on the house on the mountain."
