Freezing weather triggers lifeline for Devon's homeless

'We will take action to protect them'

Torbay Council has triggered a special lifeline for the bay’s rough sleepers as temperatures plummet into the New Year.

Forecasters say temperatures are likely to drop below freezing in parts of Devon on New Year’s Eve, with Arctic air and strong northerly winds expected to bring cold or very cold conditions to all parts of the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a ‘Cold Health Alert’ which lasts until midday on January 5, saying significant impacts from the cold snap are possible across health and social care services.

There could be increased demand for remote healthcare services and impacts on the workforce affecting delivery of services. Challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C could lead to more risks to vulnerable people, the alert says.

Devon’s forecast is for a dry and chilly day on New Year’s Eve, followed by frost and fog forming under clear skies as the sun sets. There could be scattered showers in the early hours with temperatures dropping as low as minus three.

New Year’s Day will be cold and cloudy with some rain.

The weekend will see a mixture of sunny spells and wintry showers, with overnight frosts.

In Torbay the council has activated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) with the warning: “It is going to get chilly again over the next few days.

“When temperatures drop below a certain level, we put into place additional accommodation for homeless people to prevent harm. Because of the forecast, we are activating our SWEP until Monday morning.”

Anyone who sees a person sleeping rough can alert Torbay Council via StreetLink (https://thestreetlink.org.uk/). “We will take action to protect them,” the council said on social media.