A homeless man in Swanley has been recognised in an act of kindness as the community has grouped together to help him find housing.

Fay Hill spotted Charlie Gould, 31, sitting outside Asda in Swanley and decided to set up a GoFundMe page to raise £2000 so he can afford a rental deposit.

Since splitting up with his partner, Charlie struggled to find work and ended up staying with friends for several months.

He ended up in Swanley nine months ago and has been sleeping rough in the town ever since and has become a local figure, known to many as ‘Swanley Charlie.’

Since he first appeared in the town, the community has rallied around him, making sure he is fed and donating clothes to him.

During the period of extreme weather as the 'Beast from the East' hit the UK, a woman in the travelling community nearby booked him into a bed and breakfast to offer him shelter.

Mrs Hill and her family have temporarily invited him to live with them while they help him get back on his feet.

“My husband and I had a chat and we said, 'let’s get him in and get him started and we can go from there'", she said.

As well as finding Charlie a place to live, she and her husband, Carl, are also helping him back into work, printing out his CV and handing it to local businesses.

“He has a forklift driver’s license. He isn’t workshy. He is just a genuinely nice fella,” she said.

Since the GoFundMe page was set up just a few days ago, more than £400 has been raised to support Charlie. When Fay showed him the page, he was shocked.

She said: “He is a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I think he was quite blown away by it. People have been so fantastic.”

Charlie, who is job hunting at the moment, said: "I'm feeling really good about it. It's brilliant.

There are so many good people around here. That's why I decided to stay here."