Churchgoers spent a stormy night in the open to help them understand the hardships faced by people who sleep rough.

The 'Cardboard City' event at St Stephen's Church in Soundwell saw about 40 people bed down outside between 8pm and 8am on a November night lashed by wind and rain.

The event was the idea of one of the church's members, Shirley Bennett, who is a volunteer at charity Emmaus Bristol, which provides homes, jobs and support for former homeless people, and the Bristol City Centre Soup Run, which brings food, drink and blankets to people who sleep on the streets.

St Stephen's vicar Canon Ian Wills said: "Shirley has a heart for homeless people and wanted to do something to help more people realise what it is like, and perhaps be willing to do more to help them.

"We knew it wouldn't tell us all there is to know about being homeless, but it certainly opened the door on a different world."

Emmaus staff and supporters joined the church members for the event and Soup Run volunteers also dropped in with soup, snacks, and tea to keep spirits up.