A HOMELESS woman who asked for help from the public to get suitable clothes for a job interview says she is overwhelmed after the kind response leading to her getting the job.

Jess Bridges has been sofa surfing for a long period of time and begrudgingly took to the People of St Helens Facebook page to ask for help ahead of a job interview, she hopes will turn her life around.

The 30-year-old said: “I feel embarrassed asking but is there anyone who could help?? I'm 30 in and out of homelessness no job and have a job interview tomorrow but no suitable clothes please can anyone help me out”.

The response saw more than 300 people react to the post with more than 200 offers of support.

One of these was from businessman Jon Atherton who met up with Jess helping not only to buy her clothes but giving her advice.

She later got the job.

She said: “My mental health has been bad recently and I had literally spent the entire day crying, stopped, went back online and genuinely started crying again as I've never known or experienced such kind words and support.

“The guy who helped me out was Jon Atherton has a roofing company, and he spent just over £130 on the outfit for me, nearly bloody passed out like, that’s more than anything I own.

“I believe he does a lot within the community wherever and whenever he can, then if I knew how, and I know others would agree, he deserves at least some sort of recognition.

“He's only young, pushed and pushed to make something of himself and now that he has he is completely selfless and would genuinely give you the shirt off your back, honestly he deserves an award because there aren't many like him left out there.

“I was really on edge about meeting him but honestly he picked me up and took me to Ravenhead Retail Park and went backwards and forwards to Next and M&S and was genuinely just really nice. 

"He ended up kitting me out with a new bag, shirt, pants and shoes, and then made sure I'd eaten by taking me to Subway and even passed me some money to get myself some food shopping in.

“I've never met anyone as nice, I felt comfortable and he gave me so much advice on the types of things, as an employer, what they usually look for in a possible employee during the interview, he went above and beyond.

“I’m just genuinely touched by what he has done for me and plenty of others”

Jon Atherton owns The Roof Rangers and has previously been reported on by the Star for acts of kindness including paying for a woman’s shopping.