A homeless man said he has been given an early 'Christmas present' after his homemade sign landed him a place to stay this winter.
Michael Bucknell has been shouted at, spat on and accused of being a drug addict whilst being out on the streets.
But the 38-year-old had his luck turned around after a kind-hearted woman shared his sign on Facebook.
Michael, who previously lived in Doncaster, says that money struggles and difficult landlords have made it hard for his to keep a roof over his head, leading to him living on the streets on and off throughout the years.
Speaking to Yorkshire Live, he said: "I don't like begging - I find it quite degrading. I've been spat on, punched, accused of only asking for money to take drugs.
"I'm just someone that's fallen on hard times - I've been up and down throughout my life and I've just been wanting somewhere to call home recently.
"I said to myself: 'I want to be off of the streets before Christmas' and now people have given me that Christmas present."
Tired of being shouted at, Michael made a sign and brought it with him to where he sits outside a Wakefield Aldi.
The sign reads: "I'm Michael, I don't do drugs or alcohol - I'm just unlucky to of become homeless. I'm looking for work or any odd jobs. Thank you for your help and kindness, Michael."
He was approached by a woman named Mollie May who shared his sign on Facebook and encouraged passers-by to give him a chance or let her know if they could offer him any work.
While Michael hasn't yet managed to get a job - more and more people stopped to donate to him or grab him something to eat.
He raised £150, which he said he has now taken to Dominion Housing Services, which provide unemployed people with housing in Wakefield.
He has been given a place to stay, and is now hoping to furnish it with some essentials such as a toaster and a TV if he can raise the funds.
"I'm starting from scratch, but I'm working my way up," he said.
"It's a fresh start and I hope it will be a new chapter of my life. It feels brilliant - I can't thank the public enough. They helped me in a big way.
"Now I'm off of the streets I'm going to grab this opportunity with both hands and not let it go."
