A woman so touched by the plight of a homeless man has said she decided to take him in because he 'looked like the saddest man in the world'.

Bridie Sawyer, 31, decided to let George Dickson, 67, stay in the garage at her south Northumberland home after finding him sleeping outside a coffee shop near her home last month.

The homeless veteran had moved to the area from Newcastle after receiving threats and enduring anti-social behaviour while staying at a hostel in Newcastle.

Ms Sawyer, who lives with her partner Les Stephenson, is now working hard to secure Mr Dickson permanent accommodation - and has even started a fundraising page which has more than doubled its £800 target.

Bridie Sawyer, 31, (right) decided to let George Dickson, 67, (left) stay in the garage at her south Northumberland home after finding him sleeping outside a coffee shop last month

Ms Sawyer, who lives with her partner Les Stephenson, has even started a fundraising page which has more than doubled its £800 target

She said: 'George is a homeless gentleman I met in Costa a few weeks ago. I noticed him because he looked like the saddest man in the world.

'I spoke to George and found out he was homeless.

'He told me he had come up to Northumberland after leaving the Newcastle area due to anti-social behaviour, threats from others and generally feeling very vulnerable where he had been placed.

'At 67 I can't imagine how awful that must have been. I continued to see George on and off and the need to help him grew.

'One night I saw him trying to sleep in a cafe doorway and I asked him if he would like somewhere to stay and he's been with us since.

'He isn't in the best health and should not be sleeping on the streets now or ever.

'We are currently housing George in our garage where he has access to a shower and everything he needs for now. We are doing what we can but obviously George needs his own home.

'I have spoken to some lovely organisations today but we come back to the same thing - they can't guarantee a permanent place for George or a suitable one.

'I really don't want him to end up in a hostel type place again in the same situation he was in before.

'I would love for George to have his own place but we need some help to get him there.

'I'm hoping we can raise enough money to get him started with a month's rent or two until he gets on his feet and can access the help he is entitled too.'

Ms Sawyer (pictured with her partner Les Stephenson) has set up a cosy bed for him in her garage until she raises the cash to get him on his feet. Mr Dickson (centre) had been placed in a hostel in Newcastle, but decided to head north where he could feel safer

Ms Sawyer, who owns a gym, added: 'George is such a lovely man. He is 67 and we didn't want him sleeping rough.

'He was given temporary accommodation by the council in Newcastle but he felt very unsafe and there was a lot of drugs and violence, so he moved on.

'Above our garage is a room and a bathroom so he is staying there at the moment. People have been arriving with bags of clothes for him and bedding and they have been donating to the fund.

'We want to get him a permanent home and we have been talking with private landlords, one of which is very understanding and wants no deposit.

'I want to get him the correct benefits and the pension credits he is not getting at the moment.

'I first set the target for £800 but the community has pulled together and raised almost £1,500. The money will go towards a few months rent until he gets his benefits and an agency would stand as a guarantor but that also costs.

'Moving forward, George needs things for his new home and so we are asking people to donate a bed, cutlery, furniture, bedding, the sort of things he will need to set up. He has nothing to his name.

'He was a veteran who then worked in the gardens and parks and now he suffers from arthritis, can't walk very well and can't work. He has family down south but he has no contact with them.

'He really is a lovely man, he doesn't deserve this and we just want to get him on his feet.'

Mr Dickson says he lost his pension credit over a year ago and since then has been homeless, with stints in hostels and other accommodation.

He had a council flat in Gateshead but could not afford to keep it when money got too tight.

Mr Dickson said: 'I can't thank Bridie and Les enough. They have restored my faith in human nature.

'They have given me a room and I like it here, but I would love my own flat where I can have my own key to my own place.

'If I can cope on the streets, I can cope in a flat.

'I don't know why I lost my pension credit but that was £98 a week. I left my flat in Gateshead and ended up like this.'

The 'Get George A Home' GoFundMe page has currently reached £1,889 in donations, more than double the £800 target.