Churches in Southampton provided 229 homeless people with a bed to sleep in over the winter period thanks to a project run in conjunction with Southampton City Council.

The Winter Beds project, now in its third year, ran for four weeks in February across two churches, markedly higher than the 131 served in its inaugural year.

The initiative enjoyed the backing of more than 70 volunteers covering arrival, overnight and breakfast shifts.

Mike Bunce, who was one of the volunteers taking part in the scheme, said: "I decided to help with this as for me social action is an important part of being a Christian. It’s easy to say that but most of my social action is concerned with those in other countries and therefore tends to involve more talk and campaigning than action."

Claire, who did not give her full name, said: "I helped out at dinner shift, 7pm to 9.30pm. Having taken part before, I sort of knew the ropes. What inspired me was the guests' appreciation of what we were doing."

"They also wanted to help and we're happy to share their situation with me, they were not bitter or angry at where they found themselves.

"One guy explained how his landlord had to let him go, but he understood why, he also shared a picture of where he had been sleeping, in a car park, and was grateful that he was in the dry."

Lynette, who did not give her full name, said: "My reason for assisting with the Winter Bed Scheme was that I felt a sense of guilt whenever I saw a homeless person on the street.

"Personally, my impression of these homeless people is that they are not the people I would have associated with being homeless. They were all very polite and very appreciative of the help we were giving them.

"If this has happened to them, it could happen to anyone and how would I survive in these circumstances? I don't think I could! I count my blessings.

"God bless them all and my hope is they can soon find somewhere safe to live."