SHOP MAN’S XMAS BASH FOR TRAMPS SPARKS CIDER RIOT

INSPIRED by Aldi’s festive offer to give away leftover Christmas food to homeless folk, shopkeeper Rav Patel decided to hold a party for his own local down- and- outs.

But today 48- year- old Rav is counting the cost of his kindness – amid the burned- out ruins of his once- thriving business.

Rav told Sunday Sport: “The winos have been really good customers over the past year.

“They’re here when I open up at first light – ready for their ciders come rain or shone.

“So I decided it was time to give something back to them.”

He informed regular customers with a banner on his shop front that he’d be holding the bash.

But the underclass bongo drums went into overdrive and by teatime on Tuesday, more than 300 would- be revellers were assembled outside Rav’s store in Huddersfield, W Yorks.

Rav said: “I had no idea so many people would turn up. We ran out of Frosty Jack’s cider in minutes.

“They marched into my store room and helped themselves. When I tried to stop them they pushed me aside… and then torched the shop!”

Rav is now struggling to convince his insurance company to pay out.

He said: “When I called them up, they said ‘ You did what?’ I think they are trying to wriggle out of paying up… the bastards.”

Budget supermarket Aldi will give away leftovers from their Chester stores to homeless charities and foodbanks on Christmas Eve.