A care home has been inundated with offers of help following news of a failed "nip and natter" day.

Elderly residents at Gardenia House in Temple Hill, Dartford, had been looking forward to meeting some new faces after staff invited people in the area to the chat session last Wednesday, but residents were left disappointed when nobody turned up.

However, news of the poor response brought a complete reversal - with hundreds of people getting in touch following an article on KentOnline on the situation.

We received almost 300 emails, while the care home took numerous phone calls from individuals and organisations offering to visit residents.

Davina Sellick, marketing director for Heritage Care which runs the home, said: “We had no idea this article would bring about such a generous and fantastic response from the wider community.

"Last year we leafleted around 41,000 homes locally and advertised on social media for an event and had a similar lack of response.

“It seems that a short article in the local paper was what was needed to make others aware of our presence, thanks to the KM for that.”

The nip and natter event was targeted at people aged over 60 living locally who might be socially isolated, but the home says residents always enjoy meeting visitors of all ages.

"Last year we leafleted around 41,000 homes locally and advertised on social media for an event and had a similar lack of response..." Davina Sellick

They now plan to run another event for local older people later in the summer, followed in the autumn by a wider open day event for anyone that might wish to go along to meet the residents.

Home manager Nigel Odd is currently working his way through emails in an effort to respond to everyone who got in contact.

The home advises people to like their Facebook page to keep up-to-date.

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford