The landlady of a Congleton pub and staff are sleeping outdoors to raise awareness of homelessness in the town.

Eli Feny and her team at The Bulls Head will stay in the beer garden at the rear of the Mill Street venue in a show of support for Shelter, the UK charity.

The event will take place overnight on March 6.

The boss and supporters Sophie Brown, Lacey Mills, Craig Mills and Valerie Harris will be wrapped up in thermals, using cardboard and tents as part of their efforts to huddle together and keep warm.

The team will huddle together in the canopy on the right without any external heating.

Eli said: "I just think you've got to do something to give back to the community.

"It's great having a pub - we're a welcoming pub, we love everybody, it's like a big family here.

"There's so much going on, I like to know that we're doing something to prove that we're actively helping around the community."

A collection bucket on the bar invites punters to donate any change to the sleep out and Eli expects a show of support from her regulars on the night.

A colourful mural at the Mill Street pub highlights the recent past.

Other fundraising events at the pub have benefitted cancer charities and last year Nub News reported on an auction which raised £1,700 for Cheshire East Hospice.

Shelter said government figures released in January of this year show 397 households become homeless every day in England between July and September last year.

It added that more people are facing homelessness as a result of the loss of private rental - a return to pre-pandemic levels.

The charity said that government data from this month show the number of court proceedings started in order to evict tenants between October and December 2021 is up by 43% on the previous three months.

Guests at the pub are invited to donate in person or online via Shelter's fundraiser.

Shelter helps over a million people a year struggling with bad housing or homelessness.

Please click here to find out how you can contribute to The Bulls Head Sleep Out.

They have £60 raised of their £1,000 goal on GoFundMe alone.

Alternatively, you can make a donation in person.

The Bulls Head is located on Congleton's 4 Mill Street.

The pub has 2,000 followers on social media.

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