A SERVICE set up by Waverley Council as the recession bit four years ago has helped more than 700 struggling businesses or individuals and families at risk of losing their homes.

Since 2010, the 'Don't Lose Your Home or Business' project has prevented 52 actual cases of homelessness, the council's executive was told on Tuesday.

Through that action alone, the two full-time staff, recently reduced to one, will have saved the public purse more than £1m, based on the estimate by Shelter that the cost of providing temporary accommodation and rehousing afterwards is close to £20,000 a year per household.

The borough now has the lowest number of homeless households in temporary accommodation in the South East.

For full story, see this week's Haslemere Herald.