A KIND-HEARTED woman in Sale has launched a blanket appeal to help the homeless across Manchester.

Francesca Fox, aged 21, set up the appeal at the beginning of November after she returned home from university and saw a massive increase of people on the streets since she had been away.

She said: "I was walking to my coach in Manchester City Centre and there was someone on every street. I saw one man who had a thin raincoat over his legs and barely anything covering his back. It was freezing cold, but he still smiled at me and told me to have a nice day. Whilst I was on the coach that's all I could think about, I knew I needed to do something.

"It started as a Facebook status with 20 likes and from all the great comments has now turned into a big appeal.

"I have started to sort through donations and already and there is already an overwhelming amount including, coats, jumpers, duvets, hats, gloves, scarves."

The aim of the appeal is to make sure everyone on the streets across Manchester City Centre, Sale, Poynton and surrounding areas has something warm this winter, potentially saving a life.

Francesca has just graduated from her Environmental Science degree in Nottingham and is currently supervisor of the Brooklands Tap in Sale where she has been collecting donations. Through the power of Facebook and putting posters up around Sale, due to lack of storage space Francesca said they are no longer be able to take any more. However, they can still be dropped at the Acoustic Lounge, Poynton.

She said: "The response has been completely overwhelming, I can’t even explain it. The first person who came in and donated a blanket, I almost cried - I never expected this response."

Francesca is currently setting up a distribution plan. She plans for a team of four people to give out bundles for the homeless mid-day every Wednesday and Sunday across different areas.

She will do this until the end of January and any left-over will go to shelters.