At 6am the sun is yet to break through the clouds in Sheerness, as the sideways rain lashes the stretch of beach between the Tesco superstore and Garrison Point.

Two women battle through the elements, wrapped in warm coats and armed with only a torch - a typical start to the day for a homeless outreach worker.

Linda Gilkes and Sonya Langridge spend their working week travelling across Kent and offering support to rough sleepers for homeless charity Porchlight.

As the winter arrives with its morning frosts and wet weather, people forced to live on the streets are at an even greater risk of dying where they sleep.

The Salvation Army recently warned of an increase of homeless deaths this winter, as the number of rough sleepers continues to rise year on year.

Continuing along the shoreline, Sonya and Linda search for a rough sleeper who has been sighted by a member of the public.

"It's a pretty bleak place to be when you've got nowhere to go," Sonya says. "I mean they'll sometimes go to the library, McDonalds, somewhere that's open where they can sit for a bit."

"One of the worst things you can do is move them along..." Linda Gilkes

"When it rains a lot like it has last night they will really go to ground though."

The slicked stony beach is empty - the women assume the person has probably tried to find somewhere better sheltered from the unforgiving weather.

Nevertheless, they will return a few hours later and again over the next few days, until they hopefully find the person and can offer their help.

Rough sleepers are often asked to move from an area either by a member of the public or the police, which Linda says stops them from getting the support available.

She says: "One of the worst things you can do is move them along. If you report them to someone like ourselves, we know exactly where to go and find them.

"When they get spooked and they keep moving along then that period of homelessness is extended unnecessarily, when that support is there."

After spending some time searching the town back alleys and haunts known to the outreach team, Linda and Sonya find a tent shackled to the ground.

They approach slowly and with caution, not wanting to scare the potential occupant.

Returning back to the path they say the tent is empty, but it looks to them as if someone has left with a view to returning.

Knowing how to approach each rough sleeper is one of the most difficult elements of their job.

People resorting to sleeping on the streets have likely suffered something emotionally devastating, be that losing a job or a loved one.

Sonya says most are very grateful when they are approached, but some can be aggressive at first.

She says: "I've had them where they've been shouting in my face and swearing, and you've got to look past that - it could be their mental health.

"I'll still come back."

If they are abusive, the duo say they will return with a cup of tea the next day and gradually work to establish a level of trust.

Linda says: "They've tried to help themselves before and haven't really got anywhere, but when they see that repeat return they realise the support is really there."

Living on the streets anywhere can be tough, but the team say Sheerness is uniquely difficult in Kent due to its lack of amenities.

Unlike places such as Medway or Canterbury there are few public toilets, offering rough sleepers nowhere to wash and clean themselves.

There are also not many built-up areas, offering less protection from the bite of the cold and high winds pushing inland.

This can also make finding the homeless people in Sheerness even more difficult for the outreach teams.

Sonya says: "They're quite spread out, a lot of people are out in fields, woods, little villages.

"They just want to be safe, a place where they're not frightened that they're going to be beaten up."

Once they have gained trust, the eventual goal is always to find accommodation for them.

Aside from being out on the streets finding these people, Sonya and Linda spend time trying to break down the stigma landlords often have against people who have previously slept rough.

Sonya says: "They're very suspicious at first, but the landlords who have our clients in their accommodation absolutely love them.

"It's a pretty bleak place to be when you've got nowhere to go..." Sonya Langridge

"'Oh my god' they say, 'best tenant ever.'"

After three hours the rain stops and the sun peeks out from the clouds, offering brief respite.

Although Linda and Sonya have not found anyone this morning, they will continue to search the streets, beaches and fields for the rest of the day and the following days.

Sonya says: "If someone is out here needing help, we'll find them."

If you've seen a person sleeping on the streets you can call Porchlight's 24 hour hotline on 0800 567 7699.

Read more: All the latest news from Sheerness