Three young Grays children - and their mum - spent a very uncomfortable Christmas Eve out in the cold.
Mum Helen Williams and her children, 14-year-old David, 12-year-old Simon and Sarah, ten, spent the night outside St John's Church in Victoria Avenue, Grays.
"The children wanted to do something to highlight the problems of homeless people," said Helen, "and they came up with this idea."
Under sleeping bags and cardboard boxes the four spent the whole of Christmas Eve under the stars - and managed to raise around £1,300 for the homeless charity Shelter.
"It rained a little at 4am and six," said Helen, "and it really poured at seven, but by then we were starting to pack up.
"I didn't get a wink of sleep all night long, but the children seemed to be OK.
"It makes you think of the thousands of people who have to stay like that every night and not just one," she said.
She added that £50 of the money raised was handed over on the understanding it went to a local group and Helen has already passed it on to the Salvation Army in the town.
Published Thursday December 27, 2001
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