ASK homeless Craig Hampton and Paul Howdle how they feel about coming under the spotlight at Christmas and they both agree they wish people would spare them a thought the other 11 months of the year.

"It's like Children In Need - everyone thinks about kids in November but they're forgotten until next year," said Paul. "Homeless people are the same."

Craig, aged 18, has been in foster care since he was seven - both at care homes and with foster parents. But when he turned 16 he was on his own. He spent his time moving between bedsits and found himself turning to crime.

"I got into taking cars because I wanted money. I wanted a house and a car and everything that everyone else seemed to have."

Craig spent last Christmas in Worcester's St Paul's Hostel in Tallow Hill and will do so again this year. When he has been in the hostel for a certain length of time it will help him put a foot on the housing ladder.

"I've got good memories of Christmas because I've had some nice ones, even while in care, and St Paul's will do a good job," he said.

"And I know there are people worse off than me."

Paul, also 18, came out of prison in September this year after serving nine months for various offences, including firearms.

The teenager, originally from Manchester, has a similar "in care" story to Craig's but found himself trying to live in a flat on his own at the age of 15.

"I just couldn't do it, I couldn't cope," he said.

"While I was in prison I had mixed feelings - I partly felt sad that it had come to this and partly felt pleased that I at least had a roof over my head. I've only spent one night sleeping on the street and that was cold!"

Paul will also spend Christmas at St Paul's after hearing about the hostel through Craig.

"There's a good crack there because everyone's in the same boat," he said.

But both he and Craig are adamant they don't want to spend too much longer in St Paul's.

"When I look around at some of the older blokes I'm sure I don't want to be in this situation at their age - I've been through a bad patch, like most people have, but I'll get over it," added Craig.

6 Hostel co-ordinator Terri Preece said she wanted to thank all of St Paul's volunteers but also appealed for more to come forward and offer their help throughout the year.

"We do a lot of support work with people who've left St Paul's and are involved in all sorts of projects that we could use volunteers for," she said.