Liberal Democrat councillors at MDSC have proposed to work with Suffolk County Council to use the stations for emergency homeless provision, should they find facilities to be suitable.

Police and fire stations in Suffolk could be used to house homeless people in crisis, according to a report by Mid Suffolk District councillors.

Penny Otton, who suggested the the initiative, said: “This was an idea I saw, where Nottingham and Manchester opened up their fire stations to provide emergency shelter for homeless people, when the temperature dropped.

“Obviously this is just a temporary solution. It may be something Suffolk Police and Fire could look into.”

However fellow Liberal Democrat district councillor John Field was less optimistic about the project.

“I am not too sure that we have got facilities that fit,” he said.

“I am also not convinced we have got a huge homelessness problem [in Mid Suffolk] at the moment.”