A Remarkable story of love for a Disabled 4ft 6in 67-year old pensioner!

Alan Barnes (top), who was born with growth problems and is now partially sighted, was knocked to the ground as he put his bins outside his home in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, on Sunday. When local resident Katie Cutler(photos )below heard about the shocking attack - which left Mr Barnes with a broken collar bone and scared to return home - she set up a fund to help the 67-year-old. She aimed to raise £500 to cover his moving costs after finding out he was too scared to return home - but it's already topped more than £90,000 with donations rapidly flooding in from around the world. Mr Barnes said the effort is 'unbelievable' and says 'thank you doesn't seem to answer it'. The pair are due to meet for the first time tomorrow.

Speaking about what she will do with the money raised, she said she has been contacted by several different financial advisers but plans to discuss the details when she meets Mr Barnes.

More than 5,500 people have donated using the page so far, many of whom left messages of support for Mr Barnes.

Nadeem Inayat wrote on the donation page: 'I was very upset to have read that such a defenceless and frail old man was left feeling afraid to go back to his home that for all intents and purposes should be his haven and source of safety.'I hope someone reads some of these comments to Alan and let him know that he is a very much loved man.'

Frail Mr Barnes was pushing his bin from the back of his home to the front at around 6.30pm on Sunday night when he was targeted. He was knocked to the ground, breaking his collar bone as he landed.

The mugger demanded money and searched Mr Barnes' pockets before realising his stricken victim was not carrying cash and fleeing.

Mr Barnes stumbled to the house next door where his neighbour called his sister Carol Hill, who rushed over and took her brother to hospital, where X-rays revealed the fractured collar bone.

Mr Barnes, a committed Christian, said: 'Someone just jumped on me. It all happened in a very short time. I would like to see him caught because he might do it again.'I didn't see him coming. He must have jumped on me from a back garden.
'He pushed me down and put his hands in my pockets, then told me to give him my money, but I didn't have any.'I shouted 'help' and then he ran off. As soon as he had gone I got up, and I knew I had been hurt.'

Mr Barnes's broken collar-bone will take nearly two months to heal, in which time he will need special care.

He added: 'I'm just frustrated now that I can't do anything for myself. They say it will take four to six weeks for me to recover.

'I'm trying to do the best I can. I can manage to get a bath if someone puts the water in. But I can't tie my shoelaces.'

Ms Hill is furious that anyone would stoop so low as to attack her frail brother.

The 55-year-old said: 'The police seem to think it was a random opportunist attack. But they must have seen Alan as an easy target.

'I was furious. Whoever has done this has no morals at all to attack someone so vulnerable.'

Mr Barnes is well known in the area around his home and is an active member of the congregation at his local Methodist church. He fills his days taking long walks around the area.

He is known as a skilled mathematician and impresses youngsters by being able to quickly work out exactly how many days a person has been alive after finding out when they were born.

Mr Barnes is now too frightened to return to his home, and Ms Hill is helping her brother look for new accommodation.

Detectives hunting the would-be robber have branded the crime 'disgraceful'.

Det Con Chris Neil, of Gateshead CID, said: 'This was a cowardly assault on a vulnerable man who wasn't able to defend himself.'His disability means he is partially sighted and quite short and it's disgraceful that someone would target him.'The victim is quite a well-known man in the area and this has left him extremely distressed.'We're doing everything we can to trace the suspect and I would urge anyone who saw this attempted robbery or who has information about the person responsible to get in touch.'

Stories like this give you hope that love still exists despite the darkness..