EIGHT homeless people were given shelter from freezing temperatures in Wiltshire when the severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) was triggered at the beginning of the month.

Wiltshire Council has a duty to provide shelter for homeless people when temperatures go below freezing.

Between January 1 and 6, eight people stayed in the shelters across Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury.

The three centres provide emergency accommodation for the whole county, with anyone from other towns given transport from their area to stay in the shelters.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for housing, said: “During the last SWEP period eight people were accommodated over our three sites in Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury.

“Offers of accommodation were made to all people who were rough sleeping, either through our teams or through partner agencies, but not everyone took up the offers.

“We will continue to work and engage with those individuals who do not feel ready to make the step into accommodation or need additional support to be able to take up the offer, as well as providing transport to the SWEP provision if necessary.”

A member of the public who finds someone sleeping rough can report it via Streetlink at www.streetlink.org.uk

Last year £312,245 was awarded to the council through the Rough Sleepers Initiative, which has been used to recruit five outreach workers, create accommodation in Trowbridge that has eight beds, eight severe weather provision places at Unity House in Chippenham and 10 beds at Alabare Place in Salisbury.

Further funding of £305,491 will be provided to continue the services for 2019/20.