TWO new homeless sites have been found north of Winchester, close to where a drug camp was found earlier this year.

Irene Newman, an Abbotts Barton resident, said she stumbled across tents, awnings and bags of clothing while walking her dog along Nuns Walk.

The 57-year-old said the two rubbish-strewn sites were yards from where a drug camp was found in woodland off Hillier Way in March. But she said although it was clear homeless people were living at the sites, there was no evidence of drug taking.

"The council need to go down there and clean the whole site up," she said. "These homeless people need to be helped."

A spokesman for Winchester City Council said its wardens had visited the site and, apart from a few items of rubbish, had not found any evidence of drug use, but that they would continue to monitor the area.

"We would like to thank Mrs Newman for bring this to our attention," said the spokesman. "Winchester is very well provided-for in term of facilities for homeless people.

"There is a direct access Night Shelter and the Trinity Centre, where meals and health advice are available. Housing and benefits advice are available from the city council, the Citizens Advice Bureau, and other voluntary agencies based in the city."