Anyone who has taken the train at Brockley has probably seen Sylvain, the cheerful station attendant who asks everyone how they are doing, but now everyone wants to buy him flowers.

A local film company met with Mr Brockley himself and produced a short film about him that twanged the heartstrings of those who use the station regularly.

The movie, called ‘Sweet’, tells of Sylvain’s struggles with loneliness after he moved to Europe from Côte d’Ivoire after his only family in the country died in 2016, and how he tries to make everyone at the station smile.

In the video he says: “My immediate cousin he died in 2016 and he was the only family I had here really. Now it’s just me here. Being alone in the country, it’s not easy but I’m managing. I talk to my wife often on the phone.

“When I first started here in Brockley, I couldn’t see any smiles so I said “what can I do to cause a change”. How can I help to make most people smile when they come into the station and when they leave?”

“I love the station I work in and I really enjoy being around these people. I like to believe everyone loves me as well. Being able to make just one person smile means everything to me.”

Director Leon Oldstrong and producer Garfield “Gary” Wesley Hall from Solaris2 live just five minutes away from the station but had to gain Sylvain’s trust before he would let them film.

Leon said: “Gary has a good relationship with him and he suggested we did a film. I sat down and got to know him a bit and got to write a script.

“We had to form a relationship before he would let use in his home. The power is in my hands in how he is portrayed, so he was understandably was a bit cautious. I was just trying to show his human side.”

The short film has already been a hit on Facebook amongst the people of Brockley.

Alice Washbourne wrote: “I love this film about Sylvain. He is a lovely man and feature of Brockley- he always brightens my day when I see him at the station with his beautiful smile and warm greeting.

“I feel very sad to learn that he is here alone and far from his family and it makes me appreciate his making connection with people even more.”

Saima Mian wrote: “Why has this made me so upset? Can we not club around together and buy him some flowers? Loneliness is the worst thing in this world.”