Homeless people in a UK city have said they would "rather die" because living on the streets is hell.
Among the rough sleepers Byron, who lies against the plinth of the statue of Aneurin Beaven at what used to be one of Cardiff's most well-to-do high streets.
He has barely slept all night and this is his second attempt at closing his eyes after already being moved on.
Byron, 23, blocks out other passersby who use the Cardiff street to reach where they want to go.
WalesOnline reports most are too busy to notice him as he closes his eyes to a world, he says, has little care for him.
His life is a nightmare after sleeping in the Welsh capital for almost a year.
He has two blankets and pillows he lies on, his sleeping bag, and the clothes on his back he also clutches an apple and a banana, and a bottle of water given to him by a stranger.
Byron spent the coronavirus lockdown in jail and after being released, he returned to a tiled floor of Queen Street and St Mary Street.
He said: "I don’t want to be on the streets", but is resigned to the life he faces now.
Byron is just one of the 12 people Cardiff Council claims are currently sleeping rough in the city centre as of early November 2022.
The figure is based on the daily patrols, involving the council, the Wallich charity and the Salvation Army.
But it can easily be at least double if not treble that on some days.
Some people slip through the net and there others, who technically have a home, but come into the city to beg.
People in Wales have to be verified as a rough sleeper to be counted in official figures which can vary in every local authority.
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 new funding was made available to ensure homeless people had somewhere to go as the virus took hold.
They were given beds in hotel rooms, student blocks and B&Bs as part of a £10m fund.
Byron, originally from Merthyr Tydfil , says the number of rough sleepers is "definitely more."
He found himself on the streets after "struggling to cope" in his flat and came to Cardiff.
Byron would rather be alone than with other homeless people who sometimes want to stick together.
He said: "I don’t bother with them, I keep myself to myself, I end up fighting otherwise. I try and live a quiet life.
"[People] think that if they see a drunk person, or a rough sleeper, that we are all exactly the same, they look down, but the grass is never always greener on the other side."
Fellow homeless people Gavin and Vicky are on their way to find a spot to beg for the day.
Vicky left home at 16, now 40 years old and has been sleeping rough on and off ever since. Her partner, Gavin, has been on the streets for three years.
They both say they don't feel safe on the streets as now "there are more people".
Gavin said: "The only thing they pull a finger out of their backside was when Covid hit, they put us in hostels, but otherwise it’s gone back to normal now.
"I want to die, living on the streets is hell. Honestly now, I’d rather die than live on the streets of Cardiff. It’s gone to s***. If I could nuke Cardiff off the face of this world I would. It’s bad. I hate this town.
"It’s awful, nobody cares for you, there’s no help. Anything there was help they have taken away.
"Nobody does anything, nobody helps, they come around and check to see if you’re dead but that’s it. They’ve taken the soup kitchen, they’ve taken everything."
Life on the streets he describes is "hell", partly down to how others treat him
He said: "The way they look at you, they spit at you, the looks, people treat you like dirt.
"You have to have one eye open. Put it this way, I had a blanket last night and it got pinched.
"They’ll [other rough sleepers] pinch anything from you, it’s getting worse."
Vicky describes how being streets has changed in recent years after sleeping rough on and off 24 years.
She said: “It’s not nice, it’s a hard life. I don’t feel safe. It’s different. There are more people now definitely. Nobody looks for us or cares."
The Welsh Government is working on a Rapid Rehousing plan to see more homeless people housed.
Homelessness charity The Wallich says it doesn't want to see more temporary accommodation, but because of current housing provision that is the reality.
Simon, 47, returned to the streets after being evicted from a hostel after an incident with another resident where he was accused of bullying.
He said: "Last night I slept in a doorway and ended up getting robbed. They took my medication, my £30, my blanket. That’s what it’s like, the homeless are robbing each other.
"It’s regular, it influences where I stay. I have to shoplift If I’ve got no money. I sleep wherever I can. I find somewhere when I’m tired and fall asleep."
Cardiff Council say before the pandemic, 30 people were sleeping rough in the city and before that, it would have been around 80.
It has fallen though their joint work which include the outreach team, the multi-disciplinary team and accommodation options.
Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “What I must emphasise is that Cardiff Council and our partners in the Salvation Army, the Huggard, the Wallich, the YMCA, the Health Board, and more, are all here to help rough sleepers.
"There is a huge range of support on offer, so it’s really important to recognise that, and not to think that no one cares."
