A News Shopper story of a cheerful and beloved road sweeper in Beckenham has not only captured the hearts of locals, but it has now also gained attention from across the Atlantic in Washington, DC.

Road sweeper Paul Spiers has been a familiar and much-loved presence in Beckenham since 2017 - and so to celebrate his 63rd birthday, his community came together to raise money for his second-ever holiday.

Thanks to organiser Lisa Knight - John D Wood & Co branch manager -  this would have been a return trip to Portugal, however it turned out he couldn't accept the funds due to contractual obligations with Bromley Council and Veolia.

After much dismay, holiday provider On The Beach stepped in and made a competition which enabled only Paul to win so that he could go on his dream holiday.

Lisa Knight told the News Shopper: “There was so much interest, it was completely surreal—not just from the press, but from people popping into the office to say well done.

(Image: Paul Spiers)

“It’s been the most overwhelming experience of my whole life.

“The story has even gone international—I’ve had people from The Washington Post get back to me.”

The setback from Veolia and Bromley Council left Lisa feeling disheartened, as she told the News Shopper: "At the point where we thought we couldn’t get the holiday, I felt like I let everyone down, which was really disheartening."

A spokesperson for Veolia had confirmed that the company does not "permit its staff" to accept any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures and instead, it was going to donate the matched funds to a charity.

It wasn't looking like Paul could go on holiday, until On The Beach launched its competition with terms that were incredibly specific.

The winner had to love Elvis, be between the ages of 62 and 64, have the surname Spiers, be a street cleaner in Beckenham, and be beloved by the local community.

This stroke of luck meant that Paul could jet off from Gatwick Airport to Albufeira, where he and his brother were greeted with an airport transfer to the Monica Isabel Beach Club—the same hotel where he stayed on his first holiday for his 60th birthday.

Known for playing Elvis and other upbeat tunes from his speaker as he finishes his shifts, Paul’s infectious positivity has endeared him to the community.

Lisa has kept in touch with Paul while he enjoys his holiday in Portugal, catching up with him over Facetime.

She explained: “He called me and said he was having a wonderful time and enjoys taking the photos.

“One of the best parts about this is seeing his confidence come on like tenfold. He’s always been cheerful, but I’ve really seen him grow in his personality, which is so heartwarming.”

Lisa told the News Shopper that the recognition of her doing something nice has been “lovely”.

“It’s been nice having people say to me ‘well done’, she added.

“My family and friends are blown away—they’re all so proud of me and Paul.”

As Paul continues to enjoy his time in Portugal, Lisa looks forward to his return.

Lisa said: “He told me he was going to buy me a cup for the office with Portugal written on it,” she said with a smile.

 “He’s found the perfect one and will bring it in when he’s back at work.”