Hundreds of people are bracing themselves for the Big Oxford Sleep Out this weekend.

The annual event to help raise cash to help the city's homeless and badly housed people takes place on Saturday.

St Clement's Churchyard in Marston Road, Oxford, is expected to be packed with people from across the city prepared to spend the night sleeping outdoors, braving the cold and almost certainly wet weather.

Across the county several mini sleep-outs are being planned by schools, youth clubs and church groups.

Dozens more who cannot sleep out are taking part by paying 15 for the privilege of staying in their own beds.

Organisers hope to raise £25,000, beating last year's figure of £21,000.

The cash will help fund projects throughout the city, such as the Night Shelter, Luther Street Medical Centre, which provide support for the ever growing number rough-sleepers.

David Belton and Dee Reeves, who organised this year's Big Oxford Sleep Out, were joined by Stephen Dexter, office manager for Grant Thornton accountants in Botley Road, to pick out their favourite pyjamas to be worn at the sleep-out.

Mr Belton said: "The numbers of homeless people in this city are certainly not going down. It's easy for the rest of us to take what we have for granted.

"So it's good to have events like this for people to feel they can do something to help.

"Hopefully all the rains won't stop people taking part this year."