TWO friends from Bolton have set up a crowdfunding campaign to help homeless people in the town.

Student teacher Selina Budgen and trainee hairdresser Kim Prescott, both 32, were inspired after an eye-opening evening at a Lancashire resort.

Mrs Budgen said: "Kim and I were on a night out in Blackpool for the opening of the Blackpool Illuminations and there were so many homeless people.

"We ended buying them doughnuts and hot food and chatting to them.

"I normally do things for Children In Need and Race For Life but the Blackpool thing really touched me — it was just so cold that night and seeing the people out there was horrible.

"I asked around my friends and family and also at my daughter's school and my local church for donations of sleeping bags and clothing and unfortunately I got nowhere.

"One of my friends suggests setting up a JustGiving page but you have to be a charity to do that so I decided on crowdfunding instead."

Mrs Budgen graduated in July with a community and neighbourhood studies degree from The University of Bolton and has returned to study a PGCE with a specialism in Special Education Needs.

She said: "We're looking for whatever we can.

"It's just two people working to help.

"We're at the very early stages of collecting but hopefully with social media we should get more exposure and the donations will be bigger.

"I've been given a duvet, bags of clothing, sleeping bags, socks and hats."

One of the ways the friends hope to distribute the garment and food donations is through established organisations such as Bolton-based Christian charity Urban Outreach's Winter Watch shelter for rough sleepers, the Manchester Angels shelter in Manchester city centre and the As-Suffa Homeless Outreach project in Bolton.

Mrs Budgen said: "I do have lots of links with community development but me and my friends were going to literally go out on the streets to hand donations out.

"I want to buy waterproof coats and trousers that are going to keep homeless people dry."

She said central Government austerity measures - including a cap on handouts - had left more people without a permanent roof over their head than ever.

"Homelessness is a big issue and it's only going to get worse.

"Most people put homelessness down to people taking drugs or alcoholism and it's actually people who have lost their homes and their families being turfed out due to the changes to the welfare state such as child tax credits.

"Places for hostels are scarce.

"We're focused really on people who need help."

Donations to Mrs Budgen and Ms Prescott's campaign can dropped off at The Brindley Arms in Whittle Street, Walkden, or St Peter's CE Primary School in Alexandra Street, Farnworth.

Online contributions can be made at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/selina-budgen