A FORMER homeless man has decked his house out in illuminated decorations to try to improve the lives of people facing the prospect of a cold Christmas on the street.

Peter Bonney, of Nuffield Road, Wood Farm, is asking people to donate clothing, food, tents, beds, shoes or money to help people living rough on the streets of Oxford over the festive period.

The money and useful gifts will go to the Oxford-based charity called Gatehouse and then be distributed to homeless people facing a difficult winter.

Mr Bonney, 67, has put up lights across the front of his two-storey house and an illuminated snowman and a Father Christmas.

The former Navy seaman was homeless himself 30 years ago and says people don't appreciate how easy it is to end up on the street.

He said: "When I was homeless it was really hard because there was no help aroud whatsoever. Anybody can end up without a home it is frighteningly easy.

"Homelessness is very bad in Oxford and much worse than people think. The public think it is the fault of the homeless person, but so many youngsters are pushed out overnight, people lose their jobs or marriages break down. It happens just like that.

"I think it is important to remember and help out as much as possible those people on the street this Christmas.

"It was very hard going through a Christmas on the street in Oxford because there was nowhere open to help me."

The goods will be put into parcels and handed out to homeless people in the city in the days leading up to Christmas day.

Gatehouse project worker Catou Mason said she thought what Mr Bonney was doing was fantastic.

She said: "It is great, we really look forward to having the results of his collection so that we can help lots of homeless people in the city.

"We open the doors for about two hours and usually get about 65 people through the doors at our centre in St Michael's Street."