A ‘hero’ plumber who fixes elderly and vulnerable people's boilers for free is looking to recruit plumbers and gas engineers in every town and city in the UK.

James Anderson, who runs Depher CIC in Burnley, has put out a fundraiser to get plumbers, gas engineers, handy people and volunteers, in towns and cities up and down the country so the organisation can help even more people.

The community interest company, which has been supported by Hugh Grant, is hoping to raise £250,000 to make its dream a reality.

James said: “It is time for Depher to be everywhere in the country.

“There are too many companies out there that people can’t afford – it is not the company's fault, they have been hit by the cost of living too.

“If the prices aren’t reduced then people are going to put themselves in debt or in danger by not getting things fixed.

“It is needed now with the cost of living to be in every town and every city to help every person who needs help.”

Depher, which was set up by James in 2017, also provides food parcels and helps people with their energy bills as the cost-of-living crisis has hit the country.

He has been raising money on a separate fundraiser to help people with the cost-of-living crisis to put food on families' tables and energy on their meters.

Since launching the fundraiser, nearly £300,000 has been donated by people around the world.

James added: “It is very humbling, members of the public from across the world have been helping.

“The other week we got £37,000 from a company in Switzerland.

“These people are trusting me with the donations they give because they know it goes directly to the people.

“Depher is there for the people, it is never going to change, it is not about CEOs or profit, it is about helping people who really need it.”

James, who was inspired to start Depher following the death of his son, received a phone call from a bed-bound elderly man who had been quoted £5,500 for a new boiler which he did not need.

This made James think about how many thousands of vulnerable people were at risk of being scammed by cowboy traders and decided to step in and help.

Since then, Depher has helped more than a million people across the UK with plumbing, boilers, food and money towards energy bills.