Mum who tried to crowdfund $8,000 Disney trip reopens page and defiantly claims I haven’t hurt anyone’

THE WOMAN who set up a page to crowdfund a trip to Disney World has hit back at critics and has reposted her page after being savaged online.

Nikki Smith ... has come under fire for her GoFundMe page.

A MUM who was forced to pull down a fundraiser asking for strangers to fund a family trip to Disney World appears to have stared down her critics, saying “I never meant to upset anyone”.

Nikki Smith set up a crowd-funding page, asking for £5,000 ($8,000) to be able to get her daughters to the theme park, but was slammed online for using the site to raise the money.

The post on the GoFundMe site. Picture: Supplied

But the mum from Bristol in the UK now appears to have relaunched her appeal, updating the original fundraising page and defending herself, saying: “I was prompted to put my page back up, I feel this to be the only way I can speak out.

“I am not a bad person.”

Taking to the fresh appeal, she added: “I also am not asking people for their hard earned money, people have a choice.”

Nikki Smith is asking for people to pay for her family's trip to Disney World.

She said that she had never sold her story to the media and stood up for herself, saying: “Yes, I should have thought about it more before I opened it but it’s too late now.

“I love my children and my job, I’m a carer and I haven’t been able to get anymore hours at work, nights are not easy to come by, I do try.”

She said she had been portrayed as an “awful person” but argued: “I was only thinking of my children and making them happy.”

Before closing down the appeal, she had raised only £10 ($16) — with the renewed page now receiving £200 ($322) in donations.

The 33-year-old, who has previously blasted trolls for criticising her fundraiser, said: “I have never used go fund me before so I should have looked into it more.

“I thought this section of the website was for funding hopes, dreams and wishes, and I believed GoFundMe was a chance to raise money for anything.”

She argued that she had seen a lot of other people raising money for causes including breast enhancements, cars and holidays.

In her passionate online defence, she wrote: “I never meant to upset anyone.

“I’m traumatised by the abuse and negativity I have received and only put this back up because a lot of people said I should. Online trolls are evil, I haven’t hurt anyone and I was only trying to fulfil my children’s dreams.”

Nikki's crowd-funding campaign made international headlines.

The dedicated mum had set up the page last month in an attempt to get her children to Disney World in the US, saying that the dream holiday was out of her reach financially.

In the original appeal, she said that she wanted to make her children’s dreams come true and to show them how much she appreciated them.

She added that the family had lost two special people recently, with the loving mum wanting to give her daughters something to look forward to.

Many people have already donated to her appeal, with one woman writing: “I think the comments you have received are appalling and so hurtful.

“So many people are jealous and show so little understanding or care for others.

“My sisters are also single parents so I’m sure you are hard working and doing your best for your family and I know how much kids love Disney. I hope you do get to visit — if not Disneyworld then maybe Eurodisney (I’ve been there — its also a wonderful experience!).”

Another wrote: “Good luck. I truly hope you make it.”

A third added: “Keep on believing in magic.”

The refreshed GoFund appeal has now raised £200 ($322).

This article originally appeared on The Sun.