IT is everyone's nightmare. But for some, sleeping rough can become a grim reality.
Bill (not his real name) knows that scenario only too well. In the last 12 months his world has fallen apart. A ten-year long relationship ended, forcing him to leave the property he shared with his partner and their five-year-old child.
His name has been on the West Devon Borough Council housing list for the past year. But so far they have been unable to provide accommodation.
In the meantime, Bill, 43, an asthmatic who is also epileptic, has been forced to live out of a car — and sleep rough in the Meadows.
Friends gave him shelter for a while. Then he moved to a hostel in Plymouth for a period. But the job he had fell through and he returned to Tavistock to be near his child.
Conspiring circumstances had sent him spinning in a downward spiral towards homelessness — and, ultimately, sleeping rough.
A stonemason by trade, Bill slept in his car until he had to sell it.
'I was then unemployed. I had a car in Pixon Lane car park and I lived in that for a few months. After that I slept in a sleeping bag in the Meadows.'
He had been advised by West Devon Borough Council to seek rented accommodation — but on unemployment benefit of £102 a fortnight things became impossible.
'It is a Catch 22 all the way around. If you go for a property you have to have a deposit. They are not going to take someone and wait for a deposit — not in this day and age. They are running a business,' said Bill.
He was sleeping in the Meadows during the cold snap. He has also slept in Somerfield's car park.
'I don't give up but it does punch a hole in your confidence. Some people look down on you. But you have not got to let your pride slip because you know anyone could be in that position,' he says.
'I used to be a very fit person — and if I hadn't been I wouldn't have survived.'
Bill admits he has had some 'black moments' and asked himself if it was worth going on.
'Sometimes there seems no way out. This is a retirement town and people just don't want to know. They avoid you because they think you got yourself in this situation so you get yourself out. But it isn't that easy . . .
'Work is out there — but you have to have a base. You cannot work from a park bench. In the past I have collapsed on site from exhaustion.'
But while there are those who avoid him since he became homeless Bill has however met those who have shown compassion. During his time in the Meadows a friendly local baker regularly gave him an early morning bag of pasties and a cup of tea for breakfast.
There is nothing romantic about sleeping beneath the stars or being lashed by rain in bleak mid-winter. Bill knows from first hand experience that sleeping in the Meadows is not conducive to a good night's slumber.
'I averaged about two hours sleep. The doctor put me on very high quality vitamin pills.'
Bill says his doctor also wrote a letter to the housing department that gave him 40 points on the waiting list — the maximum possible is 50.
But there is still no home for him and Bill currently spends his nights in a trailer.
He acknowledges he has made mistakes in the past. So have many people — but Bill's have cost him dear.
'I got too comfortable with the person I was with. I should have put some money back for a rainy day. I did work on the house, which was hers, but I have no savings.'
He knows he might fare better by moving away — but he has lived in Tavistock for 15 years and wants to stay so he can still see his child.
Despite his past 12 months of private hell he has become surprisingly philosophical about his plight.
'I think I'm a better person for what has happened to me. I see things very differently now.'
l Alison Morgan from West Devon Borough Council says the duties placed upon local councils to assist homeless people are guided by Central Government legislation.
'What this means in practice is that not all homeless people qualify for direct assistance from the council in securing their own accommodation.'
She said unless an applicant claiming homelessness falls within one of the 'priority groups' stated in Part Vll of the Housing Act 1996 the only duty upon the council is to provide advice as to where and how a person might secure their own accommodation.
Steve Phillip, is the housing services manager at West Devon Homes, the largest landlord in the area and the organisation which deals with homelessness and other housing issues on a day to day basis.
He said finding a home of your own when you are single and on a low income is 'undeniably very difficult' — particularly in an area where there are few affordable options.
'We always try and offer the best advice available in an attempt to help someone in these circumstances. Whilst getting the right advice is important, the main problem remains the lack of good quality affordable housing,' said Mr Phillip.
'The limited number of vacancies we get means we are often unable to help even the most urgent cases as quickly as we would like to,' he said.
'One of the main benefits that will come about from the creation of West Devon Homes is our plans to develop 150 additional homes for local people over the next five years.
'That said, even this level of new development will not keep pace with likely housing needs.'
Anyone who needs advice about their housing should get in touch with West Devon Homes at its offices in Tavistock or Okehampton and staff will do their best to help.