A HOMELESSNESS campaigner in Worcester is making a bid to become an MP - saying he wants the plight of rough sleeping to end.

Hugo Sugg, who has pushed for councils in Worcestershire to spend more cash on getting people off the streets, has formally put his name forward to enter parliament and will contest the London seat of Hackney South and Shoreditch.

The 26-year-old is standing as an independent and has launched his own crowdfunding campaign, which has raised £570 so far.

The ex-University of Worcester student is known for creating the 'Justice for Cardon' campaign after Cardon Banfield, a homeless man, was found dead in a tent along the riverside in July last year.

Mr Banfield’s body was so badly decomposed he could only be identified from his DNA - he was found near Worcestershire County Cricket Club by a club stewards.

Mr Sugg, 26, was homeless in Hereford for three months when he was 18 after a relationship breakdown and knew Mr Banfield from Worcester's YMCA.

He has tied his campaign to Brexit, saying the upcoming EU 'divorce' must not result in poverty levels worsening.

He also says that if elected, he would hand £15,000 of his salary to youth clubs.

Worcester News:

He said: "In the face of leaving the European Union, I believe it is now more important to strengthen or community, in the aim that no-one gets forgotten in this process.

"My values have people at its heart, their families and local businesses.

"My manifesto is about fighting for minimum living wage, challenging housing deprivation, homelessness, media hate towards religion, rising knife crime, challenging child poverty, youth work, gender equality and the NHS."

Worcester's Conservative parliamentary candidate Robin Walker has congratulated him for trying to become an MP, going into social media network Twitter to say: "Running for office is an admirable thing whatever your party."

Mark Shuker, who is standing again as an independent in Worcester, has also congratulated Mr Sugg on putting his name forward.