A man who was enjoying a date night with his fiancée was left shocked after stumbling across an old school friend begging on the street.

Colin Doran, 36, said his mate was desperately asking passers-by for change near Charing Cross station two months ago.

The couple decided to take him in before being inspired to use their Bromley waste service company to help other homeless people this Christmas.

"I was really shocked," Colin told News Shopper.

"He told me he broke up with his girlfriend and was renting a place but had an injury and done his back in.

"He lost his job and couldn’t work. After trying to get help with the council he failed to meet the criteria and ended up evicted and out on the street."

Colin said the pair were very close in school and stayed in touch afterwards, but they lost contact in the last few years.

The generous couple allowed the man to stay at their home in East Dulwich for a couple of nights.

He is now back on his feet and is working and paying rent on a flat.

However, Colin didn’t want to stop there and is now donating 10 per cent of his business’ revenue to homeless charity Crisis from now until Christmas.

For every truckload of waste Doran Waste Service just off Bromley Road collects, it will sponsor a festive dinner and a bed for the night for rough sleepers.

Colin said: "After brainstorming some ideas we decided we should do something through the company, which I started earlier this year and has been doing really well.

"On average we do around 10 truckloads loads a week so that’s now going to be 10 people who will have a bed.

"We are hoping other businesses do something similar."

If successful, Colin is considering prolonging the project into next year.