Games players can now try to live a tough life eking out an existence on the streets... without even leaving their armchair.

Homelessness charity Porchlight - KentOnline's charity of the year - has launched an app today aimed to raise awareness of the issues faces by rough sleepers.

It also encourages members of the public to call them if they know anyone who needs help.

‘Don’t Just Walk Past’ is available to download for free from the Apple App Store from today.

It tasks players with completing a series of mini-games representing a week on the streets in order to “learn more about the practical issues, situations and emotions faced by rough sleepers.”

Developed for free by Tonbridge-based company Caboodle Corporate, the App features two playable characters, Jon and Sarah, who through different circumstances have ended up having to call the streets their home.

As players progress through the week, their success determines their state of physical and mental health.

No matter how successful players are in the games, on the seventh day they find Porchlight.

Charity spokesperson, Mark Parry, says that structure of the game delivers an important message: “Rough sleepers often have a lot of complex needs and are in varying states of physical and mental health.

"No matter how bad things are, we are here to help them.

“We wanted to develop a game that showed the practical issues faced by rough sleepers as well as the isolation they often feel, even in very public places."

Louise Lynes, project manager at Caboodle Corporate, said: “Caboodle Corporate are delighted to have been able to work with Porchlight to develop the ‘Don’t Just Walk Past’ App.

"No matter how bad things are, we are here to help them" - Mark Parry

“With quite a broad brief our development team got fully behind the project, designing and developing a short role-play game aimed at making people think about the challenges rough sleepers face on the streets today.

"We hope people will enjoy playing App; will think twice before walking past, and will join us in supporting this vital, local charity.”

To download the game search “Porchlight” on App store or follow this linkhttps://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/porchlight/id820377476?mt=8