A HOMELESS man has befriended an unlikely bunch of passers-by whose generosity meant he was able to sleep in a warm hostel.

Joseph Nolan was sheltered under blankets in Cowley, Oxford, when about ten school children first stopped to talk to him.

The 34-year-old, who was sat outside Poundland in Templars Shopping Park, said: "They walked past and gave me a couple of pounds, it put a tear to my eye. At that age you shouldn’t have to think about helping someone. I could hear them talking saying ‘what else can we give him?’ It's amazing, they were so kind-hearted.

"They started busking with me and wanted to raise £17. One little kid gave me £20 – I thought ‘wow’. I didn’t want to take it off him. It was such a nice gesture.

"It’s strange, it’s the people you least expect to stop. People with problems with money of their own. People who’ve got all the money in the world won’t give you the time of day."

The children, aged 11-12-years-old from Oxford Academy school in Littlemore, gave him cash and food when they first walked past in February, and have since been back several times to visit him.

A 12-year-old was among those who stopped.

He said: "We thought it would be nice to give him some stuff, I gave him some Twirls. We were talking about football, he was really nice. I looked at him and felt bad that I've got a home."

Mr Nolan, whose goal is "to make Oxford the first homeless-free city", used the money to pay for beds at a hostel for him and a homeless stranger.

He said: “I try to save up enough for someone else, I like to see their face. It makes me feel good. There are people in town who look so poorly, so unwell, I just drop it in their hat if they need it more than me."

Mr Nolan’s wrist was bound with a silver tag – a souvenir from the John Radcliffe hospital, he said, where he was treated for pneumonia.

Just a few years ago, he was happily living in a three-bedroom house in Reading with the mother of his five-year-old daughter - a time he said “feels like worlds away.”

After the relationship broke down, he said he signed over his house to her and lost his job as a sales manager.

His parents, brother and sister – who live in Summertown – are unaware that he is homeless because he doesn’t want to “burden” them.

He said: “I want to be an inspiration for people. Not many homeless people have got their mum and dad as a way out.

“Being homeless changes you a lot. You see life in a different way. Life becomes about how you’re going to get through the night.

“It’s not all bad. There are enjoyable moments. You get to see interesting people and know what sort of people will stop and talk to you. You look forward to speaking to them.”

A passerby, who was so touched by the sight that she rang the Oxford Mail, said she was "surprised and impressed" that the group stopped while adults walked past without a second glance.