In the UK, donations to a disabled man who was mugged outside his house have almost reached £300,000 (€400,000), with the total continuing to climb.

In an interview with the Guardian, Alan Barnes (67) has thanked donors, especially beautician Katie Cutler, who set up an online fundraising page which would later go viral:

"Thank you doesn't seem to answer what I feel for her, how kind she was."

The page raised more than 400 times its original stg£500 (€667) target in just two days. Over 12,000 people have donated as of writing.

Mr Barnes, who has disabilities from birth after his mother contracted German measles when she was pregnant, broke his collarbone when he was pushed over by his attacker.

People were moved to help after hearing that Mr Barnes was too afraid to return to his home in Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

Following reports of the attack, which police described as "disgraceful", Ms Cutler set up the Help Alan Barnes online donation page on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe.

She wrote: "I was so upset that anyone could target a disabled pensioner and be so cruel. We can't take away what has happened but with a little donation we can make the future a prettier one and help towards the cost of his new home. Thank you all."

One online contributor, Lorraine Susan, said: "I really hope this fund helps him get settled somewhere nice & safe."

"At least he knows there are literally thousands on his side."

Mr Barnes is a well-known figure in Low Fell, and is renowned for being able to quickly calculate how many days old someone is from their date of birth.

Originally published at 10.21am