TWENTY homeless people who have been forced to leave a second Oxford University building have been offered shelter at a church.

Members of the Iffley Open House group, who are supported by some 200 volunteers and activists from across the city, claimed squatters' rights at the Old Power Station in Osney two weeks ago.

Following a court hearing last week they were served an Interim Possession Order (IPO) and told to leave the premises by 4pm today.

A volunteer and group spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "We have managed to squirrel away lots of residents' items among volunteers' houses and garages.

"This is the official end of the Open House project but we are continuing our support with the residents through casework, trying to help them get jobs and getting their paperwork in place."

A church in East Oxford is temporarily offering all 20 homeless people affected a place to sleep at night.

Members of Open House will continue talks with Oxford City Council and Oxford University about long-term solutions to the city's homelessness crisis.

Before moving into the Old Power Station the group were squatting in a former VW showroom in Iffley Road, owned by Wadham College.