East of England weather warning: Emergency support for rough sleepers

Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) for rough sleepers had been activated by local authorities

Extra support has been put in place for rough sleepers across the East of England due to cold weather.

A weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for parts of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk from 17:00 GMT until Friday.

Emergency accommodation and support is being offered across the counties.

Councils in the affected areas say gritting teams will be out on the roads twice a day to combat icy patches on the busiest roads.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) for rough sleepers has been activated by local authorities in South Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Peterborough, East Suffolk, West Suffolk, Ipswich, Norwich, North Norfolk, Great Yarmouth and Breckland.

Other local authorities in the affected areas have said support will be available for anyone sleeping rough.

Most councils have SWEP at the ready between November and March but it usually takes three days of prolonged bad weather, such as freezing temperatures, to activate it.

The aim of the SWEP procedure is to get people out of extremely cold or wet conditions through emergency accommodation and signposting them to local services.

Anyone who spots people sleeping rough, in cars, empty buildings or outside, is urged to get in touch with Streetlink, who can connect them to local services.

Local authorities are also offering cost of living support for anyone worried by increasing heating bills and are signposting residents to warm space hubs, details of which can be found on council websites.