A group of teenagers who came to the aid of a disorientated man found wandering almost naked through the town centre have been hailed as a credit to Croydon.

The three girls bought clothes for the stranger and kept him calm until help arrived after finding him in just slippers, socks and pants.

They had been shopping in Primark, North End, when they saw the man appearing confused.

The girls found a tracksuit that would fit him and bought it with their own money before waiting with him until police arrived.

Sefora Dias, 26, who was browsing the shop when events unfolded on October 1, said: “I had gone upstairs and I saw this man who I thought was naked because he was behind a rail and looked like he wasn’t wearing any trousers.

“But when he walked out he was wearing underwear and slippers and socks.
“He seemed a bit disorientated.

“There was a group of teenagers, two girls and a boy, and one of the girls took charge and bought him a tracksuit.

“She was just so nice, she was talking to him and keeping him occupied until the police arrived.”

Ms Dias, who works at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Reigate, said the random act of kindness had renewed her faith in teenagers, adding: “It was just so lovely, usually when you see teenagers in Croydon you don’t think of them in that way.

“You often see them walking around, but this girl was just so lovely and even her friend was saying, ‘She is just so good with people isn’t she?’

“She really did go out of her way, she bought him things with her own money and it was just really, really nice.

“There were very long queues and everyone there was quite touched by her taking charge of the situation and helping him.

“She was brilliant, she really was.”

Helen Pollard, a Croydon councillor for Fairfield ward who heard about the incident through her friend Ms Dias, described it as a “heartwarming story”.

She added: “You can say what you like about Croydon, but this town is home to many wonderful people. “