A dad has apologised after launching an appeal to support his family over the festive period after missing out on vital earnings while his wife was pregnant with their fifth child.
Ben Buckley, 32, feared he wouldn't have enough money to treat his family to Christmas presents so he set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes of raising £2,000 ($2,500).
The dad from Hull had faced backlash from trolls following his campaign but last night he updated the page to stop accepting donations and apologised to people who were 'offended or upset'.
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His post said: "I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone, all your kind messages and donations have been overwhelmingly kind. I honestly can't thank you all enough my self and my family appreciate all your generosity enormously and it will never be forgotten.
"To everybody who posted negative comments we are sorry if we caused any offence or upset anyone, this was never our intention. we never expected this amount of kindness or media attention.
"In the new year we are going to make it one of our priorities to make monthly donations to other GoFundMe accounts. We wish everyone a very merry Christmas and thank you again to all you kind hearted souls".
People had been getting in touch with Ben to tell him that the figure of £2,000 was too extreme but he explained: "To all the people leaving negative comments I understand where you coming from and what your saying.
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"I wouldn't of gone this route if I had other options I am embarrassed and I'm ashamed I don't for a second expect to raise £2000 I just put a figure in the box I'm sorry if I've upset and people that was never my intention."
Ben feared he wouldn't have enough cash to cover the Christmas period after reducing his hours at work when his wife got ill during a 'complicated' pregnancy.
She was admitted to hospital on several occasions with a lung infection - meaning she had to go on oxygen.
To support his family, he reduced his hours but, in doing so, left himself 'struggling and panicking' as to how he would fund gifts and Christmas essentials for his children, including his new two-week-old baby girl.
He said: "My contract at work was only 24 hours per week but I did overtime up to 45 hours to make it up. I ended up suffering for a few months when I didn't get my full wage.
"We don't have a big family network. My mum and dad only make enough to fund themselves so they couldn't help, so I didn't know where to turn and what to do. We just need a bit of help. I'm struggling and panicking.
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"This should be a happy time for us all, but under the surface of it all for me and my partner, it's nothing but anxiety and worry about what's to come and what we are to tell the kids and many other things," he said.
"I'm feeling a lot of panic and anxiety and feeling shameful. It feels embarrassing but I've never felt like going doing that (crowdfunding) before. I've never done it before. It's what I figured would make things comfortable.
"At the minute, what I have coming in covers surviving. I don't like the feeling of being a charity case. I don't like to feel like I'm begging."
Featured Image Credit: MEN MediaTopics: Christmas, Community, UK