PINK FLOYD star David Gilmour, right, has told why he had donated more than £3m to a project aimed at creating a community of affordable housing and lifetime residences for the homeless.

Homeless charity Crisis plans to build an urban village which will house 400 residents and has been boosted by the music legend's £3.6m donation.

Gilmour sold a luxury home in London to fund the donation which, it is hoped, will eventually create a community of self-contained flats.

Gilmour said he was inspired to donate to the Crisis project after watching a video about how a similar scheme was pioneered in Manhattan, New York.

He said: We decided to put money into this project because we were so inspired by it. Homeless people do not just want a roof over their heads, they need a way to be drawn back into the community.