Kellie Harrington to auction belt for house fire victims

World champion boxer Kellie Harrington has announced she is auctioning her National Elite belt from 2015 and Irish boxing vest to raise money for a neighbouring family who lost their home in a fire last week.

Harrington posted on Twitter on Sunday that her neighbours had been left with "just the clothes on their back" after a fire broke out at their home in Dublin.

“I’m auctioning off my National Elite belt from 2015 with an Irish best,” posted the boxer who was named Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year for 2018. “All money will go to the family. DM me with your bid. Retweet.”

Harrington decided to auction her belongings as part of the local Dublin inner-city community’s effort to raise money for the family. “It was a neighbour from the opposite side of my road,” she said. “Their house went up in flames and everything was damaged. I’ve been told they won’t be able to move back in for a year. We’re a good community and everyone is pulling together. It’s in times like these that you need each other.”

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By 4pm on Sunday Harrington had already been offered €1,000 from a bidder, who told her to keep the belt. She plans to keep the bidding open until Tuesday or Wednesday. She won the belt while fighting at 64kg in the 2015 elite finals but says belts are no longer handed out as awards – only medals are distributed.

A gofundme page has also been set up to support the family of three adults and six children who lost their home.