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A mum-of-two has thanked Good Samaritans who raised more than £5,000 to replace her car after it was torched by racists.

But Subi Philip, a cardiac nurse, originally from India, said she feels too frightened to stay in the family’s home after an arson attack while her two young daughters slept, and is considering leaving Northern Ireland.

A tearful Mrs Philip - whose husband is currently in India for the funeral of his father - told Belfast Live tonight: “I’m still in shock.

“Somebody told me about the fundraising.

“I really appreciate what people have done, I really didn’t expect that.

“The mayor has been here, and so many other people, to support us.”

Mrs Philip was at home with her two daughters - aged eight and 10 - when the family’s car was set on fire in Meadow Drive, Antrim, in the early hours of Friday.

Within hours, two pals set up a fundraising page to raise enough money to replace the vehicle.

And by this afternoon more than £5,000 had been donated by strangers.

Despite the outpouring of support, Mrs Philip said she feels her family is no longer safe in their home.

“I can not live in this house anymore,” she added.

“It is not safe for us here.

“I’m so scared now. I am shaking today and I didn’t get any sleep.

“My husband has told me to come back to India, we do not need to stay here anymore.”

Repulsed by the attack, NI21 councillor Jonathan McCarthy and his friend Michael Wilkinson set up a CrowdFunder page to raise enough cash for Mrs Philip to replace the vehicle.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Northern Ireland is indebted to people like Mrs Philip, who bring valuable - and in her own case - life-saving skills to our country. We need to make it known loudly and clearly, that immigrants are welcome in Northern Ireland, that this place is a country where people can bring their ideas, their investment, and most importantly, their families, knowing that that they will be welcomed.

“The actions of Thursday night are not representative of the Northern Ireland we know, but a place and a time we want to leave in our history books. Our Northern Ireland is an open and forward thinking society, where people are judged on the strength of their character, the work they do, and the contribution they make.

“It’s is a cross-community call to the Philips, and the many other families like them who will see this headline, and have second thoughts about staying another year here. And it’s an opportunity, for our own sake, to take another senseless act which would make us embarrassed to be from Northern Ireland, and turn it into something of which we can be proud.”

Police are continuing to investigate the arson attack.

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