WELL-WISHERS have donated thousands of pounds to help a young mother who made worldwide headlines with her own selfless fundraising for a disabled mugging victim.

Katie Cutler was dubbed the Angel of the North by the national press and awarded a British Empire Medal when she raised £330,000 for Gateshead pensioner Alan Barnes.

But she now fears she is facing the bailiffs after being taken to court over an unpaid £6,687 bill from PR adviser Claire Barber for work said to have been carried out to raise the profile of the 23-year-old beautician.

Now two separate online appeals have been launched to raise money to pay Miss Cutler’s PR and legal bills.

A Go Fund Me campaign set up by Ryan Walker, who describes himself as “a local lad from the North East” had raised more than £2,500 by this afternoon, while a Just Giving page set up by Danielle Aikin, of Newcastle, had topped £2,800.

A tearful Miss Cutler appeared on ITV's This Morning show, saying she hoped when her daughter, who has just started school, is old enough, she would be able to see the "nice things" she had done for others.

Mr Barnes has been subjected to vitriolic criticism across social media after an interview in which he suggested he might donate £10 to help the woman who raised £330,000 to buy him a new house.

A Just Giving page set up by Mr Barnes four days ago has yet to receive a single donation.

But Miss Cutler told the ITV show: "Alan is a vulnerable adult.

“That money was raised for him, I didn't expect anything in return."

Northumberland-based Ms Barber has previously said she had "no choice but to go to the small claims court" as she was unable to carry the debt.

She said the dispute over the bill lasted over a year, and said her agency was "highly ethical" and had an "outstanding reputation".