Fundraising appeal to support family of South Shields oil rig worker Robert Robson following his death doubles target in days, with more expected in the run up to New Year

Robert Robson, 38, of South Shields, was named last week as the man who had been “fatally wounded” aboard the platform in the Persian Gulf.

The campaign, set up by industry colleagues of Mr Robson, who was also known as Mark, had initially hoped to collect £10,000 to help his family “not worry about anything else but trying to [live] some kind of a normal life”.

But it has already received pledges worth more than £23,000 – with more expected in the run up to the New Year as news of the initiative spreads.

“The money’s going to the children’s futures, for them to go to university or travel the world – whatever they want to do,” said Kristie Graham, Mr Robson’s partner.

“After they’ve suffered such a loss, it can still give them the future we wanted them to have.

“It’s really heart-warming. After such a horrific event happening you can lose faith in humanity, but this helps restore it a bit and gives you faith there’s good people out there who do care.”

Mr Robson was working on the Seafox Burj oil rig off the coast of Qatar when he died following the incident in the early hours of Monday, December 12.

A second Briton was injured and treated in hospital, with a third detained by authorities investigating the incident.

Tom Stanton, a rope access inspection technician based in Scunthorpe who set up the appeal, praised the contributions of colleagues working in the off-shore industry and beyond, especially in raising awareness of the fund through Whatsapp groups.

“I never actually met Robbie,” he said, “but we’re both off-shore workers and his story has been shared widely – with it being such a horrendous situation it’s travelled fast.

"I juts felt something needed to be done, but I can’t take all the credit, I got the ball rolling but it’s been a collective effort.”

He added: “A lot of us have families and being in the same sector ourselves we can only imagine what impact it has had.”

Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-robert-and-his-beautiful-family to find out more and donate.