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Tributes have been paid to a 'kind' homeless man who would speak to shoppers outside a supermarket after he died of a heart attack.

Harold McCaffrey died at Rose Brae hostel in Birkenhead, where he was staying, on October 29.

The 57-year-old, who was described as 'a lovely man', was well known to people in the area who would regularly chat to him and bring him food outside Morrisons in New Brighton .

A photo of Harold and his dog Alfie, who he 'absolutely loved', has been shared with the ECHO.

(Image: Google Streetview)

Cheryl German, a volunteer from the homeless charity Hope for Hungry, first became friends with Harold when she began talking to him in March.

The 52-year-old air hostess from New Brighton told the ECHO how she began helping Harold to find somewhere to live and get back on his feet during her days off from work.

Cheryl said: "He used to sit outside Morrisons in New Brighton with his dog and I'd always stop and speak to him.

"People would go and speak to him all the time and take him food.

"He really liked the company and he called them his regulars.

"A girl lost her bag in New Brighton once and Harold found it. It had her phone in it so she rang it and Harold answered."

She added: "He waited up until three in the morning for them to come and collect the bag in town, she was so grateful.

"Another time a kid was being bullied in town and he talked to the kids.

"That was the type of guy Harold was, he would help someone else if he could."

(Image: Cheryl German)

Cheryl said she believes Harold was street homeless for three years and used to work as a skipper on a fishing boat.

However, she said Harold left his job after he suffered from a brain injury during an accident on the boat.

She added: "One day one of the crew members went overboard and fell into the water.

"Harold went down after them but then the boat came down over him. He was in a coma for 12 weeks after it and lost sight in one eye.

"He had a brain injury from the accident and that's when things started to go wrong for him."

She said: "His parents died about 10 years ago and he really missed them.

"He just got lost but he was a kind, gentle and lovely man.

"On every single day off I've had over the last few months I've tried to help him find somewhere to live and we'd meet up and go for a coffee.

"He only moved into the Rose Brae hostel a few weeks ago."

Cheryl is now hoping to raise money for a funeral to give Harold the send-off he deserves.

To donate to the Go Fund Me Page click here.