Preston student sleeps rough to repay homeless man Robbie's kindness

An art student from Lancashire has spent the night sleeping rough on the streets of Preston to raise money for a homeless man who came to her rescue.

The man, known only as Robbie, offered Dominique Harrison-Bentzen his last £3 for a taxi after she lost her bank card on a night out on 4 December.

The 22-year-old refused, but said she was so touched she started a campaign to raise money to help him get a flat.

She initially hoped to raise £500 but has since raised more than £20,000.

The University of Central Lancashire student asked people to each donate £3 and said she was "speechless" to have raised such a large amount, which she hopes "will change lives in Preston".

"I was never planning for this much money so I'm taking advice what to do," she told BBC Radio Lancashire. "But the priority is using £1,500 of it to help Robbie."

Miss Harrison-Bentzen spent the night on the city streets with people she had met through a social media page and said "friendships have been made".

"I couldn't ask for better people to do it with," she said.

"It's been difficult but there's not a chance I'd complain. It's opened my eyes to what the homeless go through every day."