Emergency plans activated as cold snap forecast

Councils are trying to help rough sleepers off the streets during the cold snap

A number of councils in the west of England are taking emergency action to help rough sleepers as temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing.

Gloucestershire County Council, Bristol City Council and Swindon Borough Council have implemented their Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), with more expected to follow suit in the coming days.

The UK Health and Security Agency has issued a Yellow cold weather warning for the south west of England between New Year's Day and 4 January, meaning vulnerable people are at greater risk.

Councils' SWEP measures aim to ensure that anyone sleeping rough is offered a room when temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing.

The temperature is predicted to drop to 0C in the coming days

In Bristol, the city council runs the protocol in partnership with homelessness charity St Mungo's and it is in place until 8 January.

After this date the situation will be reviewed daily.

The public are being asked to call the city council's outreach team if they see someone sleeping rough, or dial 999 if someone needs emergency help.

In Gloucestershire the SWEP will be in place from 1 to 6 January, and anyone who sees someone in need of accommodation should let the council's outreach team know via the Streetlink app.

Swindon Borough Council is working with Salvation Army hostel Booth House and the Haven Day Centre to offer extra provision.

The council said it aims to offer accommodation to anyone sleeping rough regardless of SWEP, but that some refuse offers of help for reasons such as poor mental health, trauma and addiction.

"Our rough sleeper average nightly figure is very low at the moment and our Rough Sleeper team are out early in the mornings offering support and advice to anyone refusing an offer of accommodation," the borough council said.

Julie Dempster of homelessness charity BOSH

Thomas, a 36-year-old former soldier sleeping rough in Bristol, said he had woken up in snow in the past.

"I hate, it's horrible. I can hardly sleep I'm so scared all the time."

He said that he has suffered four bouts of pneumonia since sleeping rough and one heart attack.

Thomas said he was very worried about the coming cold weather.

Julie Dempster, from Bristol Outreach Services for the Homeless (BOSH), said: "When the weather changes from being really quite mild to cold it does have a huge impact on health."

She said that the average age for a male rough sleeper to die is 47, while for a woman it is just 43.

"Winter is a particularly cruel time and even one death is too many," she said.

Dr Amanda Webb, chief medical officer of the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board warned that those exposed to the cold are at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Speaking to BBC West, she said: "In the difficult times that we live in that might affect people who have homes but have financial concerns about putting the heating on as well as people who are homeless."

She urged those who are able to seek out warm spaces run by their local authority to avoid the worst of the weather.