The boss of a digger hire company has dug deep to provide bucket loads of cash towards a campaign to help kit out a new refuge in memory of a murdered Norwich woman.

We have vowed to raise £10,000 towards the cost of kitting out Leeway's new domestic violence safe house as part of Kerri's Campaign which has been launched following the murder of Kerri McAuley in January this year.

Graham Byrne, managing director of Stratton Strawless-based GB Digger Hire donated £600 to our campaign which has now received more than £3,100 via the JustGiving Page we have set up.

Mr Byrne said he initially became aware of the campaign after Tony Mitson-White, Kerri's stepfather and assistant manager at retirement house builder McCarthy and Stone organised a fundraising day at their Bluebell Road site in Norwich last month.

But the digger hire boss said he became compelled to help after reading more about the campaign and the circumstances of Kerri's death.

He said: 'When I saw and read the extent of the injuries to the poor girl that really hit home...that could be anyone's child.'

Mr Byrne said they had a lot of calls about sponsoring various things but thought this might be a worthy cause to support, particularly coming up to Christmas.

Claire Wright, a sales rep at GB Digger Hire, said: 'I know its something Graham wanted to personally do and he loves to feel that he can help in any way he can.'

The donation is not the only generous conribution to the campaign from a local business.

Faith Al-Egaily this week made a £500 donation on behalf of Bungay-based Southern Aircraft Consultancy Limited.

Meanwhile collections made at this paper's annual carols concert at Norwich Cathedral on Tuesday night raised a total of £752.20 towards the campaign which has also been boosted by the help of volunteers who joined reporters in bucket collections in Norwich this week.

Archant, publisher of the EDP and Norwich Evening News, successfully applied for a street collecting permit and following two days of collecting on Monday and Tuesday helped raise a total of £289.32.

Together with other monies raised so far it means the current total stands at £4,489.97.

Kerri's Campaign

We have launched to raise £10,000 for abuse charity Leeway so they can kit out a domestic violence refuge in Ms McAuley's memory .

To donate visit the Kerri's Campaign JustGiving page or alternatively send cheques, made payable to Archant Community Media Ltd, to Sandra Mackay at Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE.

Alternatively, those wanting to donate can send cheques, made payable to Archant Community Media Ltd, to Sandra Mackay at Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE.