A BOUTIQUE owner is helping the homeless keep warm by giving out coats.

Beryl Hankin, owner of Guru Boutique in Blackwellgate, placed a clothes rack and sign outside of her shop in hope that customers would also donate their unwanted coats.

She said: “It’s mostly young and homeless men that get them. A nice gentleman came in the other day who was really shivering and asked if he could take a jacket. He tried to give me two pounds. When he left he was really happy”.

The 73-year-old, who has run Guru, in Darlington, for 45 years, has been ‘taken by surprise’ by the response by customers and on social media.

“People have been incredible.They think it’s a great idea and it’s obvious they all want to help those in difficult circumstances,” she said. She was inspired by a friend who posted a picture on Facebook of another shop doing a similar thing.

“I thought what a great idea, we should do it,” she said. “We donated clothes ourselves but more people have came and donated coats, as well as socks, shoes, hats and scarves as well.”