When bailiffs turned up to evict a cancer sufferer from his home, they had not counted on one thing – the kindness of strangers.

In a heartwarming show of support, around 200 people flocked to stop the eviction taking place after owner Tom Crawford posted a video online begging for help.

The 63-year-old promised well-wishers a ‘lovely cup of tea’ if they joined his peaceful protest against the loss of the bungalow where he has lived with his wife Susan for 25 years.

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People power: Moved by Tom Crawford's video plea for help, more than 200 strangers stopped the eviction

Mr Crawford, 63, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, insists he has paid off his mortgage Mr Crawford and his wife, Susan, 54, appeared overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers at their home

Within hours, the video had been shared more than 7,500 times. And in scenes reminiscent of the 1946 classic film It's A Wonderful Life!, supporters from as far afield as Glasgow descended on his three-bedroom home in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, to help him keep his home.

After a tense 90-minute stand-off, the bailiffs left empty-handed.

Mr Crawford, who is battling prostate cancer, claims he has paid off his mortgage, which he took out with the now defunct Bradford and Bingley in 1988.

But UK Asset Resolution Limited, charged with winding down Bradford and Bingley mortgages, claims he still owes £43,000.

Earlier this year a judge ruled against the couple and ordered them to pay off the mortgage or face eviction. But the Crawfords claim that these arrears exist due to an error committed by the bank.

They say they believed they were paying off their mortgage when in fact they were paying only interest.

In a desperate bid to keep his home, the retired flooring specialist made a heartfelt video explaining his predicament and posted it on YouTube.

Mr and Mrs Crawford bought their three-bedroom bungalow for £41,800 in 1988 and raised their family there

In the 11-minute clip, the father-of-three said: ‘Please come and help us. There will be a lovely cup of tea waiting for you. But don’t use violence. They are the ones who use violence. This is a war for the people.

‘It may only be a small bungalow, but it is my bungalow, my land, my home.’

Yesterday, the grandfather-of-two said: ‘This has been a huge battle for me and at times I’ve felt like no one wanted to help us.

'But this shows there are people out there who feel the same way and it has been very emotional to talk to all the people who have come to show support.’

Mr Crawford, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, and his wife, 54, took out an endowment mortgage to buy the bungalow for £41,800 25 years ago.

They expected to own the property outright when the mortgage came to an end last year.

Mr Crawford's struggle has echoes of the 1946 film starring James Stewart as a man who faces financial ruin

But Mr Crawford claims the bank told him in 2007 that he would never pay off the loan because there was no record of him taking out the endowment, a type of savings plan designed to repay the mortgage debt.

He then claims a bank manager assured him this was incorrect and even sent his wife flowers and champagne to apologise. But soon afterwards he became embroiled in a court battle over the mortgage.

Mr Crawford added: ‘They are putting us through hell and something needs to be done about it. They can’t keep getting away with this.’

Bradford and Bingley was nationalised in 2008 during the financial crisis, with the main banking section sold to Abbey National while existing mortgages stayed in public control.

They are now collected by UK Asset Resolution Limited, which was set up by the Government.

Yesterday, the company confirmed the eviction was called off due to safety concerns.