ROUGH sleepers in Exeter have been given a £2,500 boost.

It comes thanks to staff a Rentshield Direct who slept rough for a night to raise awareness and funds for local charity Nightstop Devon.

The 19 employees had just sleeping bags and cardboard boxes to protect them.

It is estimated that the event raised around £1,250 which will be doubled to £2,500 by Rentshield Direct's parent company Barbon Insurance Group.

Nightstop Devon, a division of Community Housing Aid, provides emergency accommodation for 16 to 25-year-olds.

Its fundraising and publicity co-ordinator Katie Banwell said: "This donation is absolutely wonderful and will go such a long way in sustaining our project.

"It is a perfect example of widespread community support, which in this financial climate is vital to us.

"I cannot thank Rentshield Direct and all those involved in the sleepout enough for their continued support to us and the plight of youth homelessness in Devon."

Rentshield's charity project manager Louise-Michelle Heath said: "The sleep-out was a huge success and was surrounded by such anticipation. The amount raised will continue to help young people in the area facing homelessness."

For donations or more information email louise@rentshielddirect.com."