A fundraiser which was set up for a 'kind' homeless who died from a heart attack has beat its initial target.
Harold McCaffrey died at Rose Brae hostel in Birkenhead , where he was staying, on Tuesday, October 29.
The 57-year-old was well known to people in the area and people would regularly chat to him and bring him food outside Morrisons in New Brighton.
Cheryl German, a volunteer from the homeless charity Hope for Hungry, first became friends with Harold when she began talking to him in March.
She set up the GoFundMe page to raise money for a funeral to give Harold the send-off he deserves.
Cheryl told the ECHO : "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."
Cheryl believes that 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 a brain injury during an accident on the boat after he tried to save a crew member who fell into the water.
The air hostess said the accident left Harold in a coma for 12 weeks and he lost sight in one eye.
The initial fundraising target for Harold was £2,500, however donations have surpassed this goal and the total raised is currently £2,572.
On the page, Cheryl said that if more money is raised than the intended target the extra donations will go towards the care of Harold's dog, Alfie and homeless charity Hope for Hungry.
Heartwarming have also been flooding in for Harold, as people took to social media to pay their respects.
Readers on the ECHO's Facebook page left touching messages for Harold after his sad death.
Catherine Proctor said: "May he rest in peace. God bless. I hope and pray his lovely dog gets a forever home."
Jemma Spence added: "So sad he was a genuinely lovely man, I have donated.
"I hope everyone else can spare a few pounds, everyone deserves a good send off! Well done to the lady trying to give this to him and the lovely lady who has Alfie."
Rachel Winchester also said: "Just goes to show you never really know someone or there story.
"Too many quick to judge. RIP fella. I hope you get the send off you deserve. Your doggo will miss you. I hope he gets a lovely home."
To donate to the GoFundMe page please click here.
