Idiot yob snared after driving motorbike into freezing river & catching HYPOTHERMIA to evade cops in high-speed chase
Dramatic footage shows irresponsible yob Karl Burnside lose control as he tries to evade cops at Rockwell Nature Reserve, in County Durham.
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Karl Burnside led officers on a high speed chase in County Durham
Credit: NNP
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He was eventually cuffed after driving his motorbike into a river
Credit: NNP
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The shivering yob was wrapped in a foil blanket
Credit: NNP
The reckless 20-year-old swerves off the road to avoid stinger devices and tears through a park filled with innocent bystanders.
He then drives into a the icy River Skerne and is tracked down by police.
Burnside stumbles around the river bank as one officer asks: "Have you got any injuries?"
Through chattering teeth, the youngster replies: "I dunno but it's really cold. I'm just really dizzy and cold."
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He added: "I need some heat. Please can I sit in the back of that van?
"I need a drink or something. My hands are freezing."
He is bundled into the back of a van with a foil blanket before Durham Constabulary locate his motorbike.
Burnside was transported to hospital and treated for hypothermia.
Most read in The Sun
He later admitted dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance, failing to stop for police, driving a vehicle on common land and fraudulently altering a registration mark at Peterlee Magistrates Court.
He was last week banned from driving for 12 months, fined, ordered to complete a rehab activity, and carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
A Durham Police spokesperson said: "Operation Endurance, funded by Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen – is our ongoing campaign to address the harm caused by illegal and antisocial use of motorcycles, using a range of tactics including drone technology.
"We proactively target offenders with warnings, seizures, and behaviour contracts, gathering intelligence so we can stop their offending."
This comes after the shocking moment
Thermal imaging from a police helicopter shows the silhouette of a suspected offender running along a field.
The helicopter tracks the man along a wooded area as he continues sprinting away from cops.
But moments later, a police dog enters the frame giving chase.
Within seconds, the dog catches up to the suspect and launches at him from behind.
The dog, PD Ted, send the man hurtling towards the floor after grabbing him at waist-height.
Elsewhere, a speeding driver was caught on camera smashing into a house during an 80mph police chase - but amazingly nobody was hurt.
Astonishing footage shows the Peugeot carrying four people explode as the reckless motorist lost control and ploughed into the home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
Plus, we reported how horrific dashcam footage showed
Tegan Bulley, 29, sobbed as she was spared jail after racing through residential streets and hit speed bumps going over 70mph on the A336 in Southampton last year.
The single mum-of-two overtook an unmarked police car before bombing through red lights at high speed and accelerating up the wrong side of the road as cops chased her.
Police eventually had to slow down in residential areas and lost her, but later discovered that both of her children were not secured in child seats during the 'appalling' incident'.
Do you have any shocking dashcam footage you'd like to share?
Email summer.raemason@the-sun.co.uk
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Burnside was banned from driving for 12 months, fined, ordered to complete a rehab activity
Credit: NNP
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The 20-year-old sped through a public park
Credit: NNP
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His bike was found submerged in the water
Credit: NNP
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The Irish Sun
06-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
How lethal £1 ‘jungle pills' that cause monkey hallucinations have ravaged UK town where ‘zombies' pass out in bus lanes
WITHIN minutes of gulping down a mystery pill he'd bought for a quid after a heavy night of drinking, Bryan Heslop blacked out. The former lifeguard, 63, was later found by his nephew, unable to walk or talk, and when he regained consciousness he began hallucinating monkeys. Advertisement 11 Drug users in a 'zombie-like' stupor are seen on the streets of Gateshead Credit: NNP 11 Bryan Heslop had a terrifying experience after taking a £1 pill Credit: NNP 11 A woman in Gateshead curled over in a ball after taking drugs Credit: NNP Bryan was one of the lucky ones. He believes the cheap drug was part of a terrifying new wave of Just last month Northumbria Police issued a warning after a suspected dangerous batch of drugs was believed to be behind the deaths of five people within 24 hours. It followed the passing of a man in his 40s from Harlow Green - close to the famous Angel of the North - and four others, who suffered cardiac arrests. Five men and two women have been arrested and remain under investigation in relation to the supply of the substances. Advertisement READ MORE FEATURES Now worried locals tell The Sun their once-proud northern town is now 'riddled to bits" with drugs, which some fear are up to triple the normal strength and 'made in jungles', not labs. It's led to scenes of homeless addicts stumbling around in zombie-like stupors, putting people off visiting the high street. Bryan believes the mystery drugs are "blues", which is slang for the opiod painkiller oxycodone, or other unknown drugs, which can be lethal if overdosed. Recalling his 'moment of stupidity', he said: 'All I can remember was boom, lights out. Advertisement Most read in The Sun "My nephew came from Newcastle to look for me. He found me and picked me up but I couldn't even walk or talk. "I'm an old man, so I shouldn't have taken it, but when you're drunk, you will take anything. The northern town that's become flooded with deadly black market pills from China "I was hallucinating the next day. I woke up and I thought there was a monkey in my bed. "It is Russian roulette sometimes with what goes around. There have been loads of people dying around here because of dodgy drugs. Advertisement "Ten of my friends have, and another guy I was speaking to had another ten, so we're talking about 20 people - the youngest I lost was 23 years old. "These drugs come piling in from abroad. This place is riddled to bits with drugs. "I would never normally take something on the street that's handed and the penny should have dropped when the tablet only cost £1 - that is too cheap. "Then the dealer told me £2 instead and that's when I necked it. I can't remember anything after that. I didn't have a clue what was inside it." Advertisement 11 This woman, believed to be under the influence of drugs, was later spoken to by police Credit: NNP 11 Locals say their high street is crumbling Credit: NNP Brian added: "In Gateshead people will gather around the centre asking if I want to buy this or that. "Why are they pushing it when they know it could be killer batches? It happens every single day. This centre is the main pitch, near to the CCTV cameras." Advertisement Another man, who wished to remain anonymous, said the issue of "dodgy" drugs arises when dealers in other countries don't weigh them properly. He explained: "It's a problem in Gateshead, but it's not just here. It's Newcastle, it's Whitley Bay and places like that. They aren't made inside proper labs. They're made in jungles and they come across just like your dodgy cigarettes Gateshead local "In Gateshead I was there when my mate went over. He was a very good friend of mine and it was horrible. I have lost about four or five people since Christmas. "If you want to know why there are bad batches going around, it's because you don't know what's inside the drugs. Advertisement "They aren't made inside proper labs. They're made in jungles and they come across just like your dodgy cigarettes. "If you get a batch of tablets, the box might say it's 30 milligrams, but inside you could get one that's just 10mg, or one that has 100mg. They don't get weighed properly." £120million drugs bust 11 Drug baron Peter Lamb was jailed for 17 years Credit: NCA 11 He smuggled £120million worth of cocaine inside rolls of artificial grass Credit: NCA Advertisement 11 Mum Lisa Birnie gets 'anxious' walking around the town centre now due to the drug problem Credit: NNP For locals born and bred in the town, the issue is stark and rotting the community to its core. A dark underworld of drug dealers is plaguing Gateshead - including baron Peter Lamb, 66, jailed last week for smuggling £120million of cocaine hidden in rolls of artificial grass. The National Crime Agency said he planned to 'flood UK streets with drugs' after receiving 20 deliveries of the Class A substance from the Netherlands, which he stashed in warehouses in Stockton-on-Tees and Newcastle. Advertisement The vile work of Lamb - who was sentenced to 17 years on June 27 - and other dealers has contributed to 77 drug-related deaths in Gateshead between 2020 and 2023. That works out at 13.7 per 100,000 people losing their lives, more than double the national rate of 5.5, and the effects are clear to see in Gateshead. At midday when The Sun visited this week, one inebriated woman was curled into a ball outside a shop, while another man was seen in a zombie-like state strewn across the curb by a bus stop. A group of men congregated around the town's refurbished Trinity Square complex in full view of shoppers. Advertisement The development was installed in 2011 as part of a £150m regeneration which included a cinema, new shops and bars. You get people sitting around here and they will search inside ash trays to see what they can get. It's definitely a different place to what I grew up in Sean McGarrell NHS worker Lisa Birnie, 50, said: "I don't like coming down to the centre anymore. I used to walk through it all the time but now it gives me anxiety. "I would come on my own but you see people on drugs all of the time. "It's not just drugs either, they drink on the seats around here. It's more so older people that you see on them. Advertisement "You get people in their twenties but it reaches people in their fifties and sixties. I wouldn't even take the kids to the cinema now, it's that bad around here." Sean McGarrell, 47, said: "I hadn't heard of what happened at Harlow Green but [drug-taking] is a big issue in Gateshead. "I see [users] off their faces walking around like zombies, that's what it's like during the day. "You see them around Tesco and places around the centre when you turn a corner. Advertisement "I don't know specifically what they take but I imagine it's anything they can get their hands on. "It's hard to know if there is enough help out there for them. I suppose it's up to them if they want to get it. "You get people sitting around here and they will search inside ash trays to see what they can get. It's definitely a different place to what I grew up in." 'Diabolical situation' 11 Sean McGarrell said seeing people 'off their faces walking around like zombies' is normal now in Gateshead Credit: NNP Advertisement 11 Homeless Kevin Kent said drugs being sold on the street are getting worryingly stronger Credit: NNP Figures released by Gateshead Council revealed that drug use contributed to 19.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 - that's up by a whopping 339 per cent from 1990. Homeless 42-year-old Kevin Kent sits around the corner perched in his sleeping bag while passersby offer him cash and food. Kevin openly admits he is a crack cocaine addict and was hospitalised twice last week because of a bad batch of tablets. Advertisement He said: "It is an epidemic in Gateshead and has been for ten years. I love crack, it is a habit. You wish your next hit will get you that little bit higher. "It's a diabolical situation. The drugs get stamped on before they get here, meaning they're contaminated It is an epidemic in Gateshead and has been for ten years Kevin Kent "The less you pay, the more it's been stamped and therefore more dangerous. But these days it's mainly the tablets that are causing the problems. "Lots of my friends have died because of dodgy drugs, but they don't get classed as 'dodgy' - instead, people say they took too much. Advertisement "I had some blues the other day which came from India and ended up in hospital, I didn't know what was inside them. "Unless you grow the crop yourself, you don't know what you're taking, but that's the risk I take because I'm an addict. "If you cut up cocaine you can tell its strength depending on its colour, but with tablets you can't." Death-count rising 11 Recovering addict Justin Collier is glad he no longer uses drugs Credit: NNP Advertisement Justin Collier, a 54-year-old council worker, originally from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, said: "Drugs is an issue in Gateshead but it's one that nobody wants to look at. "It is a societal problem. We push them to one side and only look at ourselves - there is our normal life, and there's an underworld that most people don't know about. "Years ago it used to be cocaine and crack, but now there's more things you can get your hands on online. "I am in recovery myself and thank God I'm not addicted anymore. A lot of what they are taking is opioids, but what type of pain are they trying to kill? Advertisement "They are human beings and I sympathise with them, but I don't condone what they get up to." 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"While the only way to avoid all risks is to not take any drugs which are not prescribed for you, people who use drugs can reduce the risk of harm by never using alone, avoiding mixing substances, including alcohol, and making sure to look out for any signs of an overdose – including loss of consciousness, shallow or absent breathing, and blue coloured lips or fingertips.' Advertisement GETTING HELP: If you think that you have a drug addiction then please contact your GP. You can also If you are having trouble finding the right help, call the FRANK drugs helpline on 03001236600 Or Addressing drug users directly, she said 'you are not alone' and that 'help is always available', signposting them to The Recovery Partnership Gateshead. A Northumbria Police spokesperson said the force is investigating a potential link between the death of the man in his 40s and four other cardiac arrests. They said: "Given the similarities of these reports from the same area, it is important that we ensure this warning message is shared far and wide. "If you are a drug user, or know anybody struggling with addiction, please be mindful of this message as we suspect this particular batch could have fatal consequences. Advertisement "Anyone with information is asked to get in touch by sending a DM [direct message] or use live chat and report forms on the Force's website." For help, the
The Irish Sun
23-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Inside squalid home where 43 cats found as RSPCA unable to even go upstairs over fears urine-soaked floor would COLLAPSE
PENSIONERS kept 43 cats inside a grim home where the urine-soaked floor was close to collapsing. Faeces and rubbish covered the floor and windows of Ernest and Jean Frost's property - which had the worst smell experienced by an inspector in eight years. 9 Two of the neglected cats found in the grimy kitchen Credit: NNP 9 The landing of the house where the cats were holed up Credit: NNP 9 A ragdoll kitten can be seen sitting in the layers of grime on the floor Credit: NNP The pair kept dozens of Maine Coon and The RSPCA were called to the address in February following concerns about the welfare of ten cats who were believed to be living there. They were shocked to discover a clowder of 35 cats, who were initially rescued and rushed to the vets before another was discovered the following day. A further seven were later handed over by the couple. Read mor The state of the property was so bad that one officer was unable to make it to the top floor out of fear it would collapse due to ammonia damage. One tiny kitten looked "close to death", the RSPCA inspector said. Two adult cats and the "majority" of rescued kittens all sadly died. A prosecution was sought against the pair and they later pleaded guilty to one Most read in The Sun Ernest Frost, 71, and his wife, 68, were both handed a three-year disqualification from keeping animals at Peterlee Magistrates' Court in Durham. In her written evidence, "The smell inside was worse than the smell of any property I have ever been into. "The conditions were appalling, with faeces covering the majority of the floors, window sills and up the walls. "There was no visibly clean area anywhere aside from blankets on the sofa and some clean dishes on the side in the kitchen. "I was immediately concerned for some kittens on the sofa who were in really poor condition. "Several had their eyes sealed shut with discharge. One grey kitten in particular looked close to death, with its head back and open mouth breathing. "The property had three floors but the landing area between the middle and top floor was so littered in rubbish and faeces that it was impossible to walk over without feeling like the floor would cave through, presumably due to ammonia damage, so I did not manage to access the top floor at all." 9 Some of the poor cats' eyes were sealed shut by grime Credit: NNP 9 The pair have now been banned from having pets Credit: NNP 9 Flies congregated in the couple's house because it was so dirty Credit: NNP "My throat burned and my eyes watered due to the huge amount of ammonia in the air." The vet who examined the majority of the pets said it was likely that several infectious diseases were circulating within the home. The kitten seen at the house with breathing difficulties was so poorly he was put to sleep and two others died after being hospitalised. In her written evidence to the court the vet said: "Many of these cats were in poor body condition and were underweight. "This is likely contributed to by underlying infectious disease and parasites, and competition for food from other cats. "This is an excessive number of cats to keep in one household and will have caused direct psychological suffering to all them. "It is likely that these animals suffered in these conditions for months but possibly years." The nursing and pregnant females were cared for at the RSPCA's Felledge Animal Centre but sadly the majority of kittens who were born all died. Two poorly adult cats, one of whom had given birth, were also put to sleep the following month with Jean Frost's consent. In her interview with the RSPCA, Jean Frost said she wasn't a cat breeder and that all the litters were unintentional. She said only two of the felines were neutered and she had "possibly lost track" of how many she had. In his interview, her husband said he thought the kittens looked "alright" and the cats were "definitely not suffering' and they were managing the number they had. The majority of surviving cats have already been adopted and ten others, which Jean Frost refused to sign over, can also now be legally rehomed by the charity after the court imposed a deprivation order. Both were also ordered to pay £150 costs and in mitigation the court was told the couple were in poor health. Speaking after the court hearing, Inspector Proctor said: "This was by far the worst smell I have encountered in eight years as an RSPCA Inspector. "The cats were living in wholly unacceptable conditions and there were clearly far too many for the defendants to be able to manage and care for properly. "Breeding had spiralled out of control, infection and disease were rife, and many of the kittens born into this environment were very poorly as a result. "Even though they couldn't all be saved, the vast majority made a good recovery. "I'd like to say a huge thank you to all the private boarding establishments and RSPCA centres who cared for the cats in this case, and to the many adopters who have welcomed them into their lives." 9 One of the 43 cats rescued from the disgusting house Credit: NNP 9 The filth covered the property's floor and the stench was so bad it made the inspector's eyes water Credit: NNP 9 One of the cats is seen scrambling across a room that closely resembles a dumping ground Credit: NNP
The Irish Sun
15-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Tragic homeless crisis gripping UK city as hard-up rough sleepers fend off Spice addicts & fake beggars in £120 trainers
HUDDLED outside a luxury department store, a homeless man puffs on a suspicious-looking cigarette while young families hurry past. It's an increasingly common sight on the streets of the northern city - the epicentre of a 53 per cent rise in homelessness in the North East over the past year. Advertisement 15 Shoppers in Newcastle city centre have been struck by a rise in the number of homeless people on the streets Credit: NNP 15 Locals say antisocial behaviour in their beloved city has become out of control Credit: NNP 15 Drug users leave spice and needles strewn on the floor outside upmarket shops Credit: NNP 15 A discarded spoon of cooked-up heroin in an underground car park in the city centre Credit: NNP Concerned locals claim the heart of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, once a bustling shopping hotspot, has been 'taken over' by beggars high on Spice. Rough sleepers now camp outside department store Fenwick, famed for its luxurious designer brands, while vagrants on pavements sell friendship bracelets or sit before signs, one of which reads: "I am very hungry. God bless you." While many homeless people have fallen on genuine hard times, locals claim a growing number are fraudsters, or so-called 'professional beggars', who have homes to go to at the end of the day. Others are said to be more aggressive, attacking members of the public while high on drugs. Advertisement READ MORE FEATURES This week the Government announced it is scrapping the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act by spring next year, meaning rough sleeping will no longer be a crime - a decision welcomed by homeless charities across the UK. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner called the act "cruel and outdated" and insisted Labour will instead target organised begging by gangs. On a busy midweek morning, among shoppers and workers grabbing a coffee, we count up to 10 homeless people on the main high street in Newcastle, a stretch less than a quarter of a mile. In an underground car park right in the city centre, a stone's throw from Marks & Spencer, Five Guys, TK Maxx and Flannels, we find a discarded heroin spoon next to a drain. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive It sits beside a water bottle, and contains residue which appears to be the class A drug. Nicole Harry, 40, a retail worker from Mayor calls for 'purge' of homeless people via sick method then doubles down on shock statement despite backlash "I often offer to buy beggars food from Greggs but if they refuse I don't give them money, as you don't know who is genuine. "I've seen one person get off the bus in £120 Nike trainers, put dirty trousers on over their jeans and set up shop begging on the street. Advertisement "It's a tough issue because you want to help those who need it, but you know some are on drugs or are just after cash. "You can understand why they're on drugs, I think a lot of people would in their situation. Sometimes you can tell they have taken something. "My son will often chat to them and give them his lunch and many keep to themselves." Violence 15 One woman living on the streets told us she didn't feel safe as narcotics are rife amongst the homeless Credit: NNP Advertisement Caroline, who didn't want to give her surname, has lived on the streets for four months after escaping an abusive relationship. The 40-year-old says narcotics are rife amongst the homeless community with many turning to zombie drug spice and heroin for comfort. "Spice, heroin and alcohol are the main offenders," she explains, while curled up in her sleeping bag. "It's getting really bad, a lot of people take them and now everyone thinks all homeless people are on drugs, so no one wants to help us. Advertisement "They become extremely violent because they're on drugs. I've seen one of them run up to a stranger and punch them in the face. I've seen one person get off the bus in £120 Nike trainers, put dirty trousers on over their jeans and set up shop begging on the street Nicole Harry, retail worker "It's a volatile environment. They always come up to me and ask if I have drugs. Any money they get, they waste getting high. "I have seen people sitting with a crack pipe, they don't care. "I don't feel safe as a woman on the streets. I have taken so much abuse off strangers, I have been spat on, and people have hurled abuse at me. Advertisement "I'm homeless because I left an abusive relationships and I can't get a home. I don't take drugs, I'm just trying to get some help." According to charity Shelter, the North East had the largest annual increase in homelessness in the country in 2024. The number rocketed from 1,500 to 2,300 in the space of just one year. Within the region, the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne contains the highest number of homeless people - an estimated 335 - followed by Sunderland (309) and Durham (306). Advertisement Drug poisoning 15 Homelessness and anti-social behaviour are on the rise in Newcastle Credit: NNP 15 Locals say Newcastle city centre no longer feels safe Credit: NNP The North East has also experienced its largest number of drug-poisoning deaths for 11 years. In 2024, 174 died per million, compared to an average of 91 in England. Advertisement Juliet Saunders, CEO of Feeding Families, a food bank in the region, says a "perfect storm" of conditions have led to the sharp rise in homelessness. She tells us: "We had to put a special provision in place for rough sleepers last year as it was clear there had been a huge increase. We had to put a special provision in place for rough sleepers last year as it was clear there had been a huge increase Juliet Saunders, CEO of Feeding Families "We started getting other charities contacting us because the normal food boxes we provide were no good to people who haven't got a home. "People were taking the boxes and throwing away the pasta and sauce because it was no use to them. Advertisement "The homeless obviously have no access to cooking facilities, so they'd discard anything that needed a microwave or oven. "We decided to distribute a rough sleeper's pack containing foods that do not need to be cooked. "We gave out 2,000 of these last year. They are essentially survival packs. What people need to survive in extreme circumstances are carbs and sugar. Violence against rough sleepers CRISIS reveal people living on the street are nearly 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence 15 times more likely to have suffered verbal abuse in the past year 8 in 10 have suffered some sort of violence or abuse 35 per cent - more than one in three - have been deliberately hit or kicked or experienced a form of violence while homeless 34 per cent - more than a third - have had something thrown at them 9 per cent - nearly a tenth - have been urinated on Nearly half of homeless people (48 per cent) have been intimidated or threatened with violence Nearly six out of 10 (59 per cent) have been verbally abused or harrassed while homeless "The packs contain crisps, chocolate, cereal bars, nuts, pepperoni, noodles and mints. Often the homeless have access to hot water, but nothing more." Advertisement Juliet adds: "A perfect storm has created the huge rise in homelessness. I am not surprised there was a 53 per cent rise last year. "There is a shortage of housing in this region. If you aren't in the council housing system and you have to go to a private landlord, there can be competition. You are unlikely to be chosen over someone who has a job. "I also think more relationships are breaking down. When I was at school, it was quite rare for someone to get divorced, but now that's very commonplace. 15 A homeless man struggling to stand in Newcastle Credit: NNP Advertisement 15 Retiree Brian Naylor says some beggars can be very intimidating and 'get right in your face' Credit: NNP 15 Student Tom Wilkinson, 18, says the homeless problem is "really sad" Credit: NNP "When a couple separate, another home needs to be found for one partner, and sometimes that partner can end up sleeping rough. "Mental health is a big issue for all sorts of reasons, which also contributes. Advertisement "There's not enough support available and it's a vicious circle. "Once you're homeless, it's very difficult to find a job and get out of that situation." Back in Newcastle another local, who didn't want to be named, says there are begging 'turf wars' plaguing the streets. "It's a massive issue, there are loads where I live in the city centre and they leave needles on the floor after shooting up," they tell us. Advertisement "They all congregate at certain times when they have been moved on from somewhere else. "There are one or two genuine homeless people but the rest are drug addicts who have taken over. "There are begging turf wars, I see them take shifts. They can be intimidating, I used to smoke and they will come up and ask for a drag of your cigarette. There are begging turf wars, I see them take shifts. They can be intimidating, I used to smoke and they will come up and ask for a drag of your cigarette Local resident "I have lived here for 40 years and it never goes away." Advertisement Brian Naylor, 70, a retired construction worker from Newcastle says some beggars can be intimidating. "There are more beggars in the city centre but they're not necessarily homeless. They just want money," he says. "They get right in your face asking for money, it can be intimidating for people. "There are some beggars who are really hostile. It's hard to know who is genuine." Advertisement Tom Wilkinson, 18, a sports student at Northumbria University adds: "People can be intimidated by them begging, it just depends on if they are intoxicated. "I've seen homeless people on the high street but it's a problem across the country. It's really sad. "It doesn't bother me but there should be more help for the homeless in Newcastle." Dott, 61, a support worker who didn't want to give her surname, says she too has noticed a recent increase in the number of rough sleepers in the city. Advertisement "There are a lot of homeless on the high street. They often hang around outside of Greggs and it can put people off going in those shops," she says. "You can tell that some of them are on drugs. It must be really hard for those who have hit hard times and are genuinely on the streets." Property crisis 15 Police say they work 'tirelessly' to ensure the city is a safe place to visit Credit: NNP 15 Fundraiser Christopher Clark says there's 'simply not enough homes' in the area Credit: NNP Advertisement Christopher Clark, 54, a fundraiser from Newcastle says a lack of available housing is a significant factor contributing to the growing number of homeless. "I spotted some homeless people on the high street today and did think to myself there had been an increase," he admits. "I can understand why they turn to drugs, a lot of them are in pain and have experienced trauma. "We simply don't have enough housing in this country, it is an issue with more people coming into the country and mass immigration. Advertisement "We don't have enough homes for the country and now we are housing other people. Homelessness help HERE is some useful information if you are homeless or know someone who is experiencing homelessness. FIRST CONTACT If you or someone you know is sleeping rough you can use the alert Streelink service to help connect them with outreach services: FOOD You can find free food stations via: The Pavement - for food and soup runs: Homeless Link - for day centres: The Trussell Trust - for food banks: Food Cycle - for food services - HOUSING Councils have a duty to help people who are homeless or facing homelessness. Contact the Housing Options team from the council you have a local connection to and see if they can offer: Emergency accommodation - a place in a shelter or a hostel Longer-term accommodation including independent or social housing Visit: During times of severe cold or heat, local councils have special accommodation known as Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). Find out more here: For advice, support or legal services related to housing visit You can also contact Crisis: For housing advice, call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or visit: DAY CENTRES Day centres can help by providing internet access, free or cheap food, shower and laundry facilities, safe storage for belongings, phone charging and clothes, toiletries or sleeping bags. They can also help with services for benefits or immigration advice; health support; finding work; educational or social activities; hostel, night shelter or outreach referrals. Centres can be found through Homeless Link: BENEFITS Normally you can claim Universal Credit if you are sleeping on the streets or staying in a hostel. If you are in a hostel, you can claim Housing Benefit to help with rent. You do not need a fixed address or a bank account. USEFUL CONTACTS Crisis - visit: Shelter - visit: Centrepoint (for people aged 16-25) - visit: St Mungo's (Bath, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Christchurch, Leicester, Oxford, Poole and Reading) - visit: Depaul UK (for young people) - visit: Citizen's Advice (legal advice) - visit: The Samaritans (health and wellbeing) - "There is a property crisis. I spoke to two brothers in Newcastle who were homeless and they said there was a systematic issue because they wanted to be housed together but were separated. "One of them was put in housing and he turned to drink because he was taken away from his brother. "We need to have a housing first policy where they are put in homes and then they can work on their addiction." Advertisement 'City Safe' project 15 Charities say mental health issues are also behind the homeless crisis Credit: NNP Inspector Karen Madge of Newcastle city centre's Neighbourhood Policing Team says neighbourhood officers are working tirelessly to ensure Newcastle city centre is a safe place to visit, work and live for everyone. "The City Safe project, launched last year, brings together Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council and business improvement district NE1 to work in tandem to prevent crime, reduce anti-social behaviour," she tells us. "The project will provide increased access to support services for vulnerable people. Advertisement "Working collaboratively with partners allows us to share intelligence and really get to the route of any issues. By identifying these issues early on, we can help prevent further incidents from happening. "Should anyone find themselves homeless or struggling with drug and alcohol misuse, our officers, support workers and those who can assist with housing issues, will work together. "We're committed to being there when the public need us." We simply don't have enough housing in this country, it is an issue with more people coming into the country and mass immigration Christopher Clark A Newcastle City Council spokesperson says while the city has a strong record of preventing homelessness, the combination of poverty, the rising cost of living, housing scarcity, increasing housing demand and limited supply presents a significant challenge for its housing system. Advertisement "Our anti-poverty strategy sets out our commitment to make the prevention of homelessness everybody's responsibility through the identification of the triggers to homelessness including households struggling with income and debt," they tell us. "We aim to make sure that nobody is evicted into homelessness because they cannot afford to pay their rent. "Where people are homeless, we commission a range of options for accommodation with additional support to try and ensure that any experience of homelessness is rare, brief and nonrecurring. "This includes a dedicated multi-disciplinary team to support physical health and substance issues (and access to mental health support) for people who might be homeless or in temporary accommodation. Advertisement "This team includes GP support, drug and alcohol workers and mental health social workers. "We want all of our residents to have a chance to live in a place that meets their needs and we offer a range of outreach support services to assist with this." 15 Some locals say it's hard shopping without getting hassled for money Credit: NNP 15 Shoppers used to love shopping in Newcastle's upmarket shops but now fear going out Credit: NNP Advertisement
