The Mayor of Douglas, Debbie Pitts, joined a sofa surfing campaign to highlight the hidden issue of homelessness.

Teaming up with Manx charity Housing Matters and Barclays Bank, Miss Pitts took part in The Hidden Homeless initiative on Saturday.

Around 20 volunteers sat on sofas on Regent Street, Granville Street and the former bus station in Lord Street to symbolise those who find themselves having to sleep on friends’ couches.

Housing Matters, which provides support to those struggling to find a long-term home, had 182 people sleeping on sofas contact them for help last year.

Manager of the charity, Julie Marshall said: ’The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness and to see if anyone could help us through donations or volunteering.

’It’s hoped that anyone who finds themselves in this situation will know where to come for help.’

On the day of the campaign, no donations were accepted and all expenses for the sofas, leaflets and banners were covered by Barclays Bank.

Debbie Pitts, who took part, was not aware of the problem until she began talking to the charity.

’It’s a big problem here on the island, which I hadn’t realised because we don’t see it and therefore don’t think it’s happening.

’A lot of the time it’s people who are down on their luck and become so lost they have to crash on someone’s couch.

Miss Pitts believes that legislature should accommodate those who experience feelings of coldness, isolation and loneliness through homelessness.

She said: ’The government really needs to get on board. Although it’s not a visible problem, the ministers need to realise that this is an issue that is actually happening.’