A �290,000 contract to help Norwich City Council look after homeless people has been awarded to a city charity.

The ruling Labour cabinet at City Hall agreed at a meeting last night to award the contract for a rough sleeper outreach service to St Martin's Housing Trust.

The contract will run for three years and will see the trust provide a contact, prevention and assessment service for homeless adults, helping them to get places in hostels wherever possible.

Victoria MacDonald, cabinet member for housing, said: 'Regrettably, it's organisations like St Martin's Housing Trust which are having to pick up those in most desperate need, so for us to support them is great news.'