HOMELESSNESS and the problems facing young people living on the streets was the focus of a gathering in Leyland last week.

Agencies working to tackle the issue joined at South Ribble Civic Centre for the launch of a detailed report by the newly formed Centrepoint Lancashire.

The study is a culmination of two years research and highlighted the problems facing vulnerable young people with nowhere to live.

It documents the common causes of youth homelessness as family breakdown and domestic violence, accounting for four out of five of all cases nationwide.

A warning was levied at the government's housing benefit restrictions and the lack of affordable and emergency housing, forcing many youngsters to head for big towns and cities, where drugs and prostitution is rife.

Jeff Marsh, of Barnardo's, added: "I'm disappointed by the interventions which have not been made by the social services, because I think many problems could be ironed out at an earlier stage, before the child feels they have no other option but to leave home."

Suzie, 19, left home four years ago and lived on the streets of Preston and Leyland until she was housed last year under the Barnardo's Moving On scheme.

She said: "It's scary on the streets. Once I was kidnapped by a man in Leyland and forced to live in his house a week. I wasn't allowed to move or I'd get a beating.

"This is what can happen when you're young and living rough.

"Many times I was asked for sex or asked to take part in pornographic videos. This is the sort of thing happening to many homeless people even in Preston and Leyland."

To donate money to the Centrepoint Lancashire charity call freephone: 0800 232320.

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