Plans to get a well known Falmouth homeless man somewhere to live for Christmas have been dashed after the public threw doubts on the true intentions of fundraising campaigners.

A JustGiving page set up to raise £2,000 to help house Sticky O'Rourke and his partner Moy this winter by paying for a flat deposit and first month's rent has been closed by organisers after claims the campaign was fraudulent - or he was.

The page was set up ten days ago by the people behind Facebook group Love Falmouth, who said at the time: "Moy and Sticky have been homeless for many years here in Falmouth. Sticky's health is quite bad and continues to deteriorate. We are concerned that he will not make it through another cold Christmas. They have tried to get a place through various organisations, but as you can see, that has not worked out well."

However, after collecting £212 it was closed and donors were told their money would be returned after commenters took to criticising both the campaign and Sticky on JustGiving and Facebook.

Jessie Stanford from Truro wrote that the page was "a fake" as Sticky did not know about it, and added that he owned a caravan "but likes to stay on the street."

Others suggested other ways to help him, with his daughter Mia commenting that donations would be a waste of money, and adding: "Wanna help him but him a sandwich, money will only go on drugs."

However Love Falmouth wrote in statement that Sticky no longer had a caravan and wanted to get off the streets.

Former Falmouth University student and current youth worker at Devon Youth Service, Tom Stockley, added: "We all have a past, and we all mess up. Those who make bad decisions to spend money on drugs still need food and a home."

The Packet spoke to Sticky, who said he had only heard about the fundraiser on Monday morning, while Moy said: "They were obviously trying to do a nice thing for us."

Sticky, who said he is ten months clean of drugs and had cut down "considerably" on drinking, said: "We don't want sympathy. I'm in ill health. We have had no benefits in ten months."

He added he had been meant to attend a medical ahead of finding housing and "getting my benefits back on track," but had instead been in the Royal Cornwall Hospital due to pneumonia.

While they have, he said, been to see the housing officer and tried to find accommodation, it has also been difficult to find somewhere that will accommodate Sticky's dog.

While he admitted it had originally been his choice to live on the streets, saying "it's lovely to wake up to te sunrise," he said he wanted to "get in for the winter," adding: "I'm 44 on Wednesday and it's taking its toll."

He added: "It's more important to keep my lady warm and dry."

His brother, Ian Craze, told the Packet there were still people, including himself, trying to raise some cash to help Sticky so he could be inside for Christmas "and not in a tent."

He said: "He's not as bad as these people were making him on Facebook, they don't actually know him.

"He's had some problems, he's had some issues in his life, and going on at the moment as well.

"he's a nice bloke. Not perfect, but nobody's perfect."

The JustGiving page was announced as being closed on Monday evening, with a statement saying it had been pulled "due to a massive torrent of abuse and lies."

The organisers added: "This was just the first in a long line of people we had decided to help, but after this, we will just leave it to someone else. It's not worth the grief. Thank you to those that tried to help."

While organisers said refunds were being arranged, the page still appeared to be increasing it's total raised on Tuesday morning.