Global sleep out event will be Josh Littlejohn's last

Josh Littlejohn at the Social Bite village he created in Edinburgh

The co-founder of an Edinburgh homeless charity has said this weekend's Big Sleep Out event will be his last.

Josh Littlejohn said the event, spanning 52 countries, would be the biggest achievement in his lifetime and he wanted to end on a high.

More than 50,000 people are sleeping out all over the world in a bid to raise money for homelessness.

Mr Littlejohn said he had worked very long hours with no days off this year in a bid to produce the global event.

Local work

Speaking from New York to BBC Scotland he said: "I'm here for the New York sleep out. Times Square is being closed and my family are all sleeping out too.

"It is beyond my wildest dreams that this could ever happen and so I want to end on a high.

"Next year I will continue with my local charity work."

Mr Littlejohn started the Sleepout event in Edinburgh four years ago with 270 people in Charlotte Square.

It then progressed to Princes Street and 8,000 people the following year.

Then four Scottish cities took part last year, before 52 cities signed up for this year's event.

Mr Littlejohn said he had wanted to create a "Live Aid moment" with the sleep outs and that it had never been the plan to continue them long term.

He said this weekend's World's Big Sleep Out would fund 100 charities.

The money from previous years has been used to fund 831 flats across Scotland for the homeless as well as the Social Bite Village in north Edinburgh.