VOLUNTEERS slept rough outside York Minster last night to highlight the issue of youth homelessness and raise funds for SASH, a York-based youth homelessness charity.

Participants were joined by the Minster’s Canon Glyn Webster and BBC Radio York presenter Adam Tomlinson, who did a live broadcast of the event.

The sleep-out in Dean’s Park, which has so far raised over £3,000 for the charity, came as latest figures showed big increases in the number of homeless young people.

SASH, which provides safe, temporary accommodation for such people in the homes of volunteers, has seen a surge in demand in the first two months of this year.