A NINE-year-old boy's Christmas wish to help keep the homeless warm through winter has gone viral, with donations of blankets and warm clothing flooding in to the family's Bradford home - some from the other side of the world.

Alfie Watkiss surprised his mum Katie a little more than a week ago with his concerns about where the district's homeless people take shelter during the cold, wet and windy weather hitting the country.

He suggested using his spending money to buy blankets and even offered to give up the laptop he was treasuring for Christmas.

Proud of his thoughtfulness, his 28-year-old mum took to social networking site Facebook to ask for help - and the pair have been overwhelmed by the response.

The family's home in Hunters Park Avenue, Clayton, is now awash with blankets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves and other warm clothing as well as toiletries, which are currently being packed into cardboard boxes ready for Alfie to help deliver them to local homeless shelters.

Miss Watkiss, who has three other children - Freddie, seven, Ollie, four, and two-year-old Keevie-May, told the Telegraph & Argus: "We've got 15 large boxes full at the moment and are going to start dropping them off at shelters this weekend.

"I've called a few in Bradford and they have all said they are happy to accept whatever we can donated - particularly when they hear it has all been Alfie's idea.

"He's always been worried about homeless people and wants to help them out, and the other day when the weather was really bad he came and asked me where all the homeless people go when its windy and raining like that.

"I explained to him that there are some shelters they can go to, but that some still have to sleep outside.

"But he just said, you know I asked for a laptop for Christmas. It costs a lot of money and I know Santa isn't real, so can you spend the money on pillows and blankets for me to give out instead."

A Facebook page has now been set up called Help Alfie Help The Homeless which is attracting interest from as far afield as the US and Australia, with people donating goods to their local shelters in Alfie's name.

Alfie, a pupil at Clayton CE Primary School, said: "I wanted to help because it was really windy that night and they don't have a nice warm bed to go to. It makes me really sad when I see homeless people and I just want to help them."

Miss Watkiss added: "It's been quite overwhelming the response we've had online. People are saying lovely stuff and what an inspiration Alfie is that he's willing to give up his Christmas present and is thinking of others like this."

To help the campaign visit facebook.com/helpalfiehelphelpthehomeless.