Exeter City Council has confiscated nearly 60 tents from rough sleepers over the past two years.

The council has removed 57 tents from people sleeping on council-owned land since 2013 after first giving them 24 hours notice.

An Exeter City Council spokesperson said: ‘We do give people 7 days to reclaim their items before they are disposed of.’

The spokesperson also emphasised that the council does try and help those they are evicting.

‘We do try to engage with those found rough sleeping on council land and will from time to time allow them to stay if we understand it is a temporary situation and they are moving into accommodation like Gabriel House within a day or two.’

The council is also considering introducing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), a new measure, created by the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, designed to deal with antisocial behaviour.