A FORMER soldier who was homeless has a roof over his head after Worcester veterans rallied behind him with funds to spare.

We reported in February how the soldier, who gave his name as 'John', was gutted after he returned to find his tent in woods near Worcester Racecourse had been slashed as the rain poured down.

But the ex-services community in Worcester, led by Dave Carney, a reserve veteran of the Royal Engineers, of Merriman's Hill, Worcester, who runs a breakfast club (known as the 'brekkie club') for former soldiers, rallied behind the 60-year-old soldier, down on his luck.

Funds were raised to put him up in B&Bs in Worcester until he moved away from the city and is now understood to be in a more stable position.

Mr Carney, now standing as a UKIP councillor for the city's Rainbow Hill, said John was now understood to have moved away from the area and received the support he needed, leaving £200 leftover in surplus after they raised funds to help his plight.

Mr Carney said: "I want people to know that he has moved on and is now financially stable.

"I've heard through sources that he is now doing okay.

"But the crowdfunding money that we raised totalled £590 but the homeless veteran did not get to use it.

"So, we paid off all the accommodation costs, fees etc and we were left with £200.

"I put it to the Breakfast Club which charity to donate it to, and they all agreed on the Army Benevolent Fund, to which one of our members is connected to.

"So, we realised that one of the 'ambassadors', a Colonel Stamford Cartwright MBE was at the unveiling of the new poppy statue in Cripplegate Park on Saturday, April 23.

"We arranged with people to present a cheque that day."

On the same day Mr Carney attended a separate charity event at the Lamb and Flag in Worcester.

One of the brekkie club veterans put on a show called 'a song for a hero' which is about veterans suffering PTSD, raising £145.