Boy, 8, 'brings warmth' with homeless-help bakes

Alfie said his small bake sale turned into a cafe with more than 100 customers

An eight-year-old boy who became upset seeing people sleeping in the streets has raised more than £800 through bake sales "to help keep them warm".

Alfie was in Middlesbrough with his mother when he saw a homeless woman and was so "sad" that he went into a shop and bought her food.

The youngster, from Coulby Newham, decided to have a bake sale in his garage to raise £50.

However, the family had to get a gazebo for the front garden after his sales started attracting scores of people.

Alfie said: "We had a little bake sale and it turned into a massive cafe and more than 100 people came in one night.

"We are going to keep raising money because we want to keep people warm."

Alfie's mother Anna said he set a target of £50 and then became more ambitious as his bake sales proved popular.

She said: "We kept pushing the target up and up and thought that raising £150 would be amazing, but then it really spiralled."

Alfie says he wants to "bring warmth" to homeless people this winter

The money will buy supplies for Middlesbrough Council's In Out of the Cold project and the Nite Lite CIC charity which provides food and drink for people in need.

A spokeswoman for Nite Lite said: "We would like to thank Alfie, what he has done is just brilliant.

"To be eight years old and have that much caring and compassionate is amazing."