UPDATE: Homeless man '˜gobsmacked' by community support after tent torched by arsonist

Neil Bottomley was ‘devastated’ after he discovered his tent which he sleeps inside in woodland near Broadbridge Heath had been destroyed.

Hours after an article was posted on the County Times’ Facebook page generous residents of the Horsham district responded by donating hundreds of pounds via an online fundraising page.

Neil said: “I just wanted to say thank you very much to everyone who donated. I am just gobsmacked.

“It is no longer the case of just buying a tent, they have given me so much money I can get a home.

“I am hoping that this is going to pay for a couple of months rent and get myself back into employment.

“I haven’t seen my youngest son for seven or eight years now because of the situation I have been in. This means by getting the home for myself and getting myself sorted that I can get to see him again.

“It will make a lot of difference in so many ways.

“Thank you very much, I really do appreciate it.”

Neil is now in regular contact with the Salvation Army, who will make sure the money is ring fenced and gets spent well.

Donations flood in for homeless man whose tent was set alight

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