THE NUMBER of people rough sleeping in Bournemouth and Poole has fallen, say local councils.

The annual count of homeless people who sleep on the streets took place late last month, said a spokesman for Bournemouth Borough Council.

Last year 48 people were counted in Bournemouth, this year it was 29.

There was a similar drop in Poole, where ten sleepers were discovered in 2018, compared to 13 last year.

The drop in figures mirror similar drops in other towns, including Brighton.

A spokesman for the borough councils said that while it was good news: "We are always cautious about these figures – they are a useful tool that can identify trends, and we follow the national methodology, but ultimately they are just a snapshot on a single night," she said.