A university student who feared for a homeless man’s safety before he was killed is hoping to raise funds to help pay for the funeral.

Razvan Sirbu, a 21-year-old Romanian, was beaten to death last Sunday in the Loose Valley Conservation Area in Tovil.

Police have arrested four teenagers, including a 14-year-old boy, in connection with Mr Sirbu’s death.

Marc Walker lives just metres away from the conservation area where Mr Sirbu was killed and admits the aspiring vlogger was a “sitting target” for attackers.

The 30-year-old computer science student said: “Nothing has ever happened like this in this part of the neighbourhood. It has come as a shock. I took my dog out for a walk on Sunday and saw all the police cars.

“The minute I saw them all it was clearly something serious and my first thought was that it involved the person in the tent. Then the shock came afterwards.

“Originally he was on the grass embankment on the B2010 in a cardboard hut hiding and keeping himself to himself.”

Mr Walker, of Postmill Drive, said he had never seen Mr Sirbu’s face but had spotted him in a newly acquired tent in the days leading up to his death.

A Justgiving page has now been set up to help raise funds for Mr Sirbu’s family to help pay for his funeral.

Mr Walker added: “I just felt like nobody else was doing anything like this and I felt it would be a nice gesture if the community could get involved and if they can give something to the family.”

Mr Sirbu’s mother paid tribute to her only son earlier this week.

She said: “My only son Razvan was full of mercy and empathy; he would always want to help others in need.

"Razvan was very shy and very good. Razvan was very well behaved and listened to people intently. He had a lot of love from me and my wider family.

"Razvan was my only child, so he was spoilt by the whole family. He was also the only grandson to my parents."

Police have arrested four teenagers in connection with Mr Sirbu’s and are currently being questioned by detectives.

Two men, 18 and 19, were arrested on Thursday and a further two boys, 14 and 15, and from Maidstone, were arrested on Friday.