A HOMELESS man has died after suffering a heart attack outside a restaurant.

Stephen Hartington, 35, was found near Frankie and Benny’s restaurant in Southchurch Road, Southend.

Paramedics were called to help Mr Hartington and he was taken to Southend Hospital where he died.

He is the third homeless man to die in Southend this year, following the deaths of Jeff Shepherd, 50, who was stabbed at a home in Beedell Avenue, Westcliff in July and Gary Dunn, 53, was found collapsed in Leather Lane, Southend in August.

Del Thomas from the charity Street Spirit which provides hot food to homeless people from a Southend car park every Saturday, knew Mr Hartington from his work as a street pastor.

He said: “Stephen had been homeless for about three years. He had some issues and liked a drink. He hadn’t told his family that he was homeless and when his mum found out she let him stay with her recently, so it’s sad this has happened now.

“It is a worry. There are three or four rough sleepers who are quite ill at the moment. We are hoping we can get them into the night shelters when they start in November. Hopefully they’ll be able to get through the winter.”

John Barber who also works with Street Spirit said: “It’s becoming a regular occurrence. The life expectancy of rough sleepers is much less than other people. It’s very sad.”

An ambulance spokesman said: “We were called to Southchurch Road just before 6.30pm on Saturday to a man who was unconcious on the floor.

“We sent two ambulances and an ambulance officers to the man in his forties. He was taken to Southend Hospital for further treatment.”

The response is : A police spokeswoman said: “Police were contacted shortly before 7pm on October 10 with reports of a 35-year-old man unwell in Southchurch Road, Southend.

“Officers attended along with the ambulance service. The man was taken to hospital where he sadly died. The death is not being treated as suspicious.”

SOUTHEND’S winter night shelters are gearing up to provide shelter for rough sleepers.

During severe weather Southend Council is obligated to provide shelter for the homeless if the temperature is forecast to be below zero for three consecutive nights.

In 2011 the council asked local churches if they could use their buildings and following talks, three churches agreed to provide accommodation for one night a week from mid-November to mid-February 2.

The night shelters provide a hot meal, a bed and breakfast. Fundraising for this year’s night shelters is underway, with each church rasing their own funds.

For the last three winters, seven churches have been involved and so far six night shelters have been confirmed, with organisers seeking a suitable venue for Wednesdays. This year the winter night shelters will run from November 23 to March 18 (17 weeks) will be covered as follows:- - Sunday: Avenue Baptist Church, Milton Road, Westcliff - Monday: Southend Christian Fellowship, Southchurch Road, Southend - Tuesday: Shoebury and Thorpe Bay Baptist Church; - Wednesday: tba; - Thursday: Westcliff Free Church, London Road, Westcliff - Friday: Ferndale Baptist Church, North Avenue, Southend - Saturday: United Methodist Church, Whittingham Avenue, Southend Homeless charity Harp will be allocating guests to the shelters by using an agreed referral process. Therefore, potential guests should be asked to go to HARP’s Bradbury Centre (in York Road) before 2pm (Monday - Friday only). We please request that they are not directed to the individual shelters as there may not be room.

Donations are always very welcome and will be used by the churches to buy food, personal necessities and clothes and toiletries. Volunteers are also needed to help at the churches.

For more information or to volunteer, call John Simmons the shelter co-ordinator) on 07866 740065, or by e-mail to john.simmons17ewb@btinternet.com