Clothes rail full of coats for the homeless is stolen within 24-hours

Volunteers who hoped to help the hopeless by providing a clothes rail full of snug winter coats have been left saddened after the rail was stolen.

The community initiative was set up in Bristol’s Union Street on Sunday in an attempt to help rough sleepers keep warm.

Sadly, when organiser Sarah Jade returned to add a sign to the rail on Monday it had disappeared, along with the 20 coats.

She said: “I’m really sad this has happened. It wasn’t in the way or taking up a lot of room, and all we wanted to do was show people that we care.”

Similar schemes have worked well in other cities, including Birmingham.

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Sarah Jade had received a strong response after posting on Facebook to ask for unwanted coats.

She said: “The Facebook response was brilliant. We just wanted to help where we could.”

Undeterred by this setback, Sarah Jade and her fellow volunteers are planning to install another clothes rail in the city centre.