A newspaper reporter, a mayor and a reverend are an unlikely trio to find sleeping rough on the streets of Huddersfield.

But late-night revellers and night shift workers would have found them in the town’s St Peter’s Garden as part of an awareness raising campaign.

Barry Gibson, from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, joined a group of campaigners to sleep rough for a few hours to highlight the plight of vulnerable people.

Among those determined to interrupt his peaceful slumber were a church clock chiming every 15 minutes, drunks staggering out of pubs, emergency services off to shouts and late-night council workers cleaning the streets.

Barry, 30, told HTFP: “It was the idea of an organisation called the Methodist Mission which works with vulnerable and homeless people and they asked us if we would send a reporter.

“Luckily it was on a Monday as traditionally Wednesday is a very busy night because of the students.

“There were a few people wandering about through the park a bit worse for wear and coming over to have a chat. On another night I think it would have been different.

“I don’t think that you can sleep there for a few hours and get the full picture but it gives you an idea of how it’s still cold in the north of England in the evening, even if it’s warm during the day.”