This Eastbourne hairdressers has set up a community coat rack for homeless people

Gary Young owner of The Grove Experience next to the coat rails he has set up for homeless people (Photo by Jon Rigby)

People can donate their unwanted coats to the rack by the old police station in Grove Road, opposite organisers The Grove Experience.

Gary Young, of the salon, said, “People’s reaction has been amazing, we have had so many people dropping off coats and collecting them.

“I’d seen it on the internet someone putting coats around trees and thought it was a really cool idea. I thought I’d do one on a coat rail, as we don’t have trees around here!”

The coat rack can be found in Grove Road, at the old police station opposite the Grove Experience

Gary said the issue of homelessness is always at the ‘forefront of the mind’ in Grove Road, as many people are seen rough sleeping there.

He said, “We have had about 10 coats go at least. The Foodbank say they like the idea, and have been sending people along.

“Thank you to the people that have donated, it’s been brilliant.”

He said the hairdresser is also in the process of organising a charity hair cut day with the Salvation Army.

Visit @groveexperience on Facebook for more information.

This comes as a report released this week revealed Eastbourne has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the region.