Homeless people will be allowed to bed down in the Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral for the first time this winter.

The offer comes as charity Catching Lives re-establishes its winter shelter which provides those sleeping on the city’s streets with a roof over their heads and a warm bed.

While the Cathedral has supported the charity financially for many years, it has not previously offered overnight refuge for rough sleepers as part of the scheme.

But now a building in the Precincts is being made available.

Canterbury Cathedral’s canon missioner, the Rev Dr Emma Pennington, said: "Having donated £5,400 annually to help fund meals at Catching Lives for many years, we're pleased to extend our support this winter by hosting the winter shelter in the Cathedral Precincts."

It will be one of seven churches across the city as well as the Canterbury Umbrella Centre to operate the shelter on rota basis, providing 15 beds a night, from mid-December to mid-March.

That is well short of the estimates of at least 33 people which the charity believes are sleeping rough most nights - a number which worryingly continues to grow, says Catching Lives chief executive Tasmin Maitland.

“It's a terrible situation that there is still a need for this service because so many people are having to sleep rough, often in unsafe locations and through the worst winter weather,” she said.

“But it’s great news that we can go ahead this year, supported by a £10,000 grant from Canterbury City Council and thanks to people giving generously to our Winter Fundraising Appeal.

“We’ll also be working with the council, Porchlight and other partners to help people move on from the shelter into housing.”

But with only 15 beds available, access to a bed will be limited to emergency cases and only available by referral from the Catching Lives Day Centre in Station Road West.

The service, which has to be staffed by an experienced co-ordinator and trained staff and volunteers, will also be relying on donations to the charity’s winter fundraising drive via its JustGiving page.

The appeal is seeking to raise £50,000.