Benny the Bogan shows the Aussie spirit by giving free toilet paper to the elderly and disabled

"That's the way I was brought up. You help out those around you. It's the Aussie way," Benny said.

Benny, of Swansea, has been giving out free toilet paper to the elderly and disabled in his town.

"I had the idea after seeing an elderly lady with a walker staring at empty shelves, getting upset," he said.

Benny has a big following on his Facebook page "Benny Bogan - the fairdinkum Aussie". He has appeared on TV shows Housos, Fat Pizza and Swift and Shift Couriers.

He said Swansea was "a large retirement town with a large amount of elderly people".

Many of them have been struggling to get hold of toilet paper, since panic buying began over the coronavirus pandemic.

He was able to secure some toilet paper from his workplace at Milltech at Hexham.

"We source it from an industrial supplier. I told the boss I wanted to buy some to hand to people that need it. He said, 'I'll buy it'."

His boss bought a box and offered more if needed.

"I went out last Thursday when I got home from work. I hit one of the elderly villages. Within two hours, I was out. Some of the elderly were in tears over toilet paper."

They offered to pay for it.

"I said, 'I don't want money, it's all paid for. I just want you to be happy'."

He sourced more toilet rolls from elsewhere, including a donation of 12 rolls.

As well as helping Swansea locals, he's made toilet paper runs to those in need at Nords Wharf, Windale and Jewells.

"A few people have inboxed me about their grandmas and fathers. They were in a bad way and couldn't find them any."

At the weekend, he was in the Coles car park at Swansea for hours. The supermarket toilet paper shortage remained, so Benny handed out free rolls.

"Every time an elderly lady or man came out, I'd go up and hand them a roll," he said.

He's helped out at least 100 households that had none over the last few days.

"The lady I went to see at Nords Wharf, her granddaughter messaged me and said, 'She just rang me in tears, she can't believe that someone has just given her toilet paper'."

Benny said toilet paper stockpilers need to stop and think about who they're affecting.

"These people I've been seeing - cancer patients and people with bowel problems - some of the stories they told. They can't get out. They're not as quick as everyone else, racing out and grabbing it all," he said.

"There's plenty out there for everyone if you just get what you need."

Benny said some people had offered him money to help.

"I don't want money, but people can bring me a roll or two spare. Or better still, help someone in your local area.

"I want it to spread. I'm only hitting a small area. The more people do it, the more people get help."

He said the coronavirus crisis doesn't need to be "every man for himself".

He urged people to reconnect with the Aussie spirit of helping each other.

Reader Sally Butler, of Ellalong, said the fire brigade at Hamlyn Terrace on the Central Coast had put this message outside their station: "Hoarding toilet paper could be a fire risk".

"The pest control industry might add that such hoards are an invitation to rodent nests," she said.

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