A roofing company from Ashford travelled more than 40 miles to give a woman free help after spotting on social media that she had been duped by cowboy builders.

Regal Rooflines, whose yard is in Bonnington, often carry out work in London, and responded to help the woman in Sidcup after they came across a Facebook post noting she had been left with a half-finished roof.

Company owner Danny Hodges got in touch with her to offer assistance. He said: “I thought maybe we could help.

“She thought it was a joke, to be honest.”

The house was left with a flimsy roof covering and gaping holes where windows and doors were supposed to be.

Mr Hodges, 34, went along that night to assess the damage and offered to fix it free the next day with a colleague. He said: “She burst into tears. It’s good to help someone.”

He and his colleague Jack Meccy managed to complete the work within the day, making the roof watertight.

Mr Hodges said: “At the end of it, the lady tried to give us £200.”

The customer put the money in the men’s pockets, but keeping up his altruism, Mr Hodges stopped off at a nearby flower shop, bought her some flowers and sent the money back with a note saying ‘keep smiling’.

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