Bristol drop-in centre warns cold could kill homeless

A drop-in centre in Bristol is warning homeless people could lose their lives if the freezing weather continues.

The Wild Goose Cafe on Stapleton Road said 250 people had used the cafe in two hours on one evening last week.

Manager Alan Goddard said: "It's going to get much worse before it gets better. We really don't want to lose anyone this winter from hypothermia."

The council provides emergency shelter if temperatures fall below zero for three consecutive nights.

Mr Goddard added: "It is a really worrying time because there are some people who are still sleeping out.

'Problem getting worse'

"They are still coming in for food and we're giving them lots of warm clothes to keep warm.

"I'll be frank, I can only see the problem getting worse because of the way things are economically. People are losing their jobs, people are becoming homeless."

A Bristol City Council spokesman said: "Bristol has responded to the severe cold in the usual way by making additional beds available at the Compass Centre, Jamaica Street, and outreach teams have been out and about seeking to persuade anyone they find out on the streets to make use of these beds.

"We have also asked the provider of our homelessness services to organise additional counts to try and identify anyone who may still be out there in this current cold snap."

The Wild Goose Cafe provides free food in the evening from 2000-2200 GMT and is open during the day from 1000-1500 GMT.