'Phenomenal' builders fix Birmingham nurse's driveway

When builder Brian Robb saw her driveway he decided to put things right

"Phenomenal" builders stepped in to fix an intensive care nurse's driveway after she was left with a sinking pile of rubble by a previous workman.

Rebecca Elkiraa, from Birmingham, said she had paid Robert Taylor more than £3,000 to block pave her driveway, but he left the slabs "half laid" before disappearing, leaving her in the lurch.

Mr Taylor said he had a limited budget and other customers had been satisfied.

Brian Robb raised £1,100 to finish the work without further charge to her.

Mrs Elkiraa said her long shifts on Covid-19 wards meant she could not always keep an eye on Mr Taylor's work and that her driveway was left in a "substandard" condition.

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The nurse has since reported the workman to West Midlands Police which confirmed it had received a report.

"It has caused incredible stress for us as a family," Mrs Elkiraa said.

The work of Brian and his sons was "an extension of this public feeling" of support for NHS staff during the pandemic, Mrs Elkiraa said

Another builder Brian Robb was visiting Mrs Elkiraa to buy her car and decided to step in and help earlier this week when he saw the condition of the driveway.

Mr Robb, from Telford, who works for RDS Construction in Oldbury, put out a call on social media to crowdfund the work.

"We raised £1,100 and had help from a lot of businesses who gave us machinery and equipment without charging a single penny," he said.

Mrs Elkiraa said: "Him and his boys turned up every single day in the heat, working so hard - I felt like I didn't deserve it.

"It's absolutely phenomenal, I'll cry if I talk about it," she added.