More than 100 families in Medway spent the festive season in temporary accommodation, it has been revealed.

The figures came to light following a report by homeless charity Shelter that said 6,217 children in the South East region would be without a permanent home this Christmas.

Currently there are 671 households in temporary accommodation across the county, which can include B&Bs or bedsits. Almost three quarters of these include children.

Medway is at the top of the list with 104 families, followed by Ashford with 93 and Swale with 57.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s housing chief, said: “We do all we can with the resources we have available but the reason we have this problem is that there are a lot of people taking up rented accommodation in Medway from London boroughs.

“This dumping of people here by London boroughs is quite wrong but the law allows it.”

"Not only do we see referrals go up at this time of year but also a rise in rough sleepers" - homeless charity Porchlight

In the Towns there were a further 72 households in temporary accommodation - these are groups of people or single people which do not have children.

Wendy Checksfield, from homeless charity Porchlight, said that this time of year was particularly difficult.

She said: “It really is one of the most challenging times for homeless people.

"Not only do we see referrals go up at this time of year but also a rise in rough sleepers.

“It also reminds people what they’re not part of or what they were once part of and it can exacerbate those problems.”

Council houses are now being built in Medway for the first time since the unitary authority formed in 1998 with more than 60 homes due to be constructed over the next three years.

They will be a mixture of houses, bungalows and flats with some larger properties to accommodate big families.