The man, thought to be an established rough sleeper and well known to homeless volunteers in the city, managed to remove the lit firework from his pocket but burnt his hand in the process. The public appears to be united in its response to the shocking attack on ex-serviceman.

Accepting the £4,468.00 cheque, Meryl captivated and enthralled the audience as she said an impromptu few words. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic evening, where the funds will help support the homeless and rough sleepers in Newbury.

As always the local community are incredibly generous this time of year. We now have enough tents, sleeping bags and sanitary towels. These will last the next few months, if not more. We will publish an appeal if we need more. In the interim, we are still in need of most items from our Christmas Wish List such as head torches and Lycra boxer shorts