Clients and staff at a homeless charity took to the streets of Canterbury on Saturday morning and warned crime could soar without it.

About 40 supporters marched from the Scrine Foundation base in Station Road East to the Clocktower where they staged an energetic protest.

Intervention by police on Thursday led to a scaled down walk and protest that steered clear of Whitefriars and the city centre with the group dispersing at about noon.

A legal challenge to a city council decision to cut housing benefit for its clients will be judged on October 1 and closure may follow.

Clients carried cardboard boxes and banners with messages like "we are not tramps and or bums, we are just like you".

Stephen Smedley, 30, from Newcastle, has been a client of Scrine for four years. He said: "You can't put a price on what the Scrine does.

"I'm living in a house with two others on the Spring Lane estate and I have got medical help from nurses and doctors when I need it.

"There will be so many more problems with crime and disorder if the charity closes and the authorities will have to spend a lot more on that."

The charity charges its clients up to £310 a week for accommodation, counselling, support and other services. But the city council says it has been claiming too much money back through housing benefit.

Ch Insp Mark Harrison claimed said police were only approached 48 hours before Saturday’s rally and had agreed to support a short march and a rally at the Clocktower.

He added police had altered the plans based to balance freedom of speech against the safety of the wider community.

He said: "We were approached late on Thursday by the organisers of the event.

"The group’s intent is obviously sound. However, before an event of this nature, there are many procedures and protocols to follow in good time, which had not been done in this case."