Many people in Devon and Cornwall are losing hope of being able to find a permanent home, according to a new and hard-hitting report.

It found there are potentially thousands of people across the South West who are not living on the street, but finding themselves in various and precarious housing situations through little or no fault of their own.

This results in them having to sofa surf, share overcrowded accommodation or move back into unsuitable living arrangements with parents and other family members.

The report says this has been caused by the combination of a lack of affordable housing to rent or buy, continued rising rents and house prices, competition from the holiday and second home market, low wages and high interest rates, all of which show little signs of letting-up.

Aiming to shine a light on the plight of people experiencing these issues, it also hopes and to suggest ways of easing the situation for an under-researched but growing problem for society.