A charity coat rack started just today has had a huge success, but is now looking for a permanent home.

Sharon Minkin, 53, from St Albans, decided to start the coat rack after she saw a Facebook post about a similar scheme in another town last night.

She thought “if I was cold in my house, what are people sleeping outside feeling?”

So she posted online that she was looking for a coat rack and in short time a kind benefactor donated one.

Filling the rack with coats she had been taking to a charity shop, Sharon took the streets.

She first tried placing the rack outside St Albans Central Library, but was moved on.

Moving to St Peter’s Street, outside of BhS, she turned to Facebook for help in finding somewhere to keep the rack.

Her plea was heard by Lerraine Rand, of Village Barbers in the Village Arcade who quickly came and helped her move the rack to outside her shop.

However the rack is only allowed to stay in the shop overnight and Sharon is hoping to find a permanent home for the coat rack, hopefully in partnership with a local charity.

The scheme has had an overwhelmingly positive reaction, with people offering to donate blankets, and others online praising it as a “wonderful idea.”

One man even donated his coat after nipping into a shop to buy a replacement.

With the chilly weather expected to continue tonight, the hope is word will spread around homeless charities quickly so as many people as possible can benefit.

Anyone who thinks they can help provide a permanent home for the coat rack can get in touch via sharalynn19@yahoo.co.uk.