A young woman who has been left homeless and is living in a branch of McDonald’s with her mother after her dad went back to England has launched a fundraising appeal to fund a new home.

The pair, identified as Susane Paula Muratoni Geremia, 64, and Bruna Muratori Geremia, 31, in media in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sleep in the fast food joint before they are kicked out when it closes at 5am, and they then wait in the doorway of the eaterie in the city’s smart Leblon area.

But by opening time at 10am they pick up their five designer suitcases and move back inside the branch, staying at a table and eating their meals there until it closes.

The pair said they prefer to go and sleep in the McDonald’s in a posh area rather than take up the offer of a place in a homeless shelter.

The suitcases reportedly contain tennis rackets, clothes, and books as well as shoes and other accessories.

And despite living this way for three months the pair always seem to be immaculately dressed and with carefully groomed hair and full make-up, reports local media.

Both of them have mobile phones and pay for every meal and drink, and are not happy about the publicity of this story, although Bruna has started a fundraising appeal with the hope of raising BRL 10,000 (GBP 1,572) to help them find an apartment and also help with her studies as a paramedic lawyer.

The women reportedly declined an offer of shelter by social workers on Monday, 22nd April, and Bruna who speaks fluent English said it was not so bad living in McDonald’s.

She said: “It’s peaceful here and I feel safe and welcome. The staff treated us very well.”

And well-wishers in the area say offers of help to the pair have all been rebuffed.

The women claim they receive financial support from Bruna’s father who local media said is from England and living in the UK.

Both mother and daughter denied not having paid debts.

The women told local media that they are currently looking for an apartment and do not understand the curiosity they have aroused.

The two also stated that in Europe and the United States, this situation would be common.

Mum Susane said: “I find everything ridiculous, I can’t understand how this snowball effect happened.”

Bruna added: “If it were a person with darker skin, with few clothes, with few suitcases, it wouldn’t have attracted attention.

“I think the fascination is that we look like the people that are reading about us, they see that actually, this could be them as well.

“I did not want to have myself put in the spotlight this, I didn’t want fame or visibility for being homeless, nobody wants to live on the street, and I miss sleeping in a bed.

“But this problem is for me and my mother, and a system that conspires against you when you don’t have lots of money in the housing market.”

She confirmed that her dad lived in England but declined to say what he did there whereabouts in the country he was living.

Some reports indicated that she was British but she did not comment on this beyond confirming that her father lived there and was sending them money.