A homeless service which is ‘vital to the dynamics of Watford’ faces extinction unless it receives financial backing.

New Hope will be forced to axe its Transition Service - which offers emergency accommodation to the homeless - in May, unless the charity can raise the £42,000 required to fund it for a year.

And the effect will not just be on the homeless or future service users, the charity’s chief executive Matthew Heasman said, but will also increase pressure on Watford General Hospital and the police.

The service supports about 166 people every year - it is estimated 22 people will be sleeping rough in Watford tonight.

Mr Heasman said: "We did a presentation at the Town Hall to stakeholders to help people understand the impact on the public purse and negatively on the dynamics of the town if Transition ends.

"What will happen, undoubtedly, is more people will be hanging around in A&E through the night, there will be more people sleeping rough in the town centre and more anti-social behaviour in Watford.

"This is a vital service on every front and in every sense, and it should be seen as an investment to enable this key service to continue."

The Transition Service would have been axed in April 2015 but Watford Borough Council has agreed to step in to pay for the full service in May.

The Transition Service offers six beds, food and support services on a night-by-night basis.

Mr Heasman said: "The funding pays for two full-time staff members.

"We’ve had over £17,000 donated from the community so far but we need a further £25,000 in order to keep it going. We hope to generate interest about the positive impact it has on the town.

"It’s a sanctuary for people at their most vulnerable point. There are people of all walks of life there.

"We’ve had a bank manager on £60,000 a year who was made redundant; he then lost his flat and his fiancé, started to drink heavily and ended up on the streets of Watford.

"We’ve worked with him and he’s now with another agency but it’s a net to catch the most vulnerable members of society - and it could be me or anyone else next."

A team of generous volunteers will cater for about 50 homeless people on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The charity - which enters its 25th years in 2015 - also offers the short-term stay night shelter and the longer term community home and New Hope House hostel for individuals with addiction issues.

It is also looking to tackle ‘sofa surfing’ and to plug the gap for those not eligible for social housing who cannot afford private rents.

The charity is working with private landlords a new scheme called Hope Homes to offer a "more dignified option to rough sleeping".

Mr Heasman said: "It’s really exciting and we hope 2015 and the 25th anniversary will see the opening of our first Hope Home.

"This will see five people living under one roof but the key thing here is it’s not ‘here’s a key, let me know when you want to leave’ it’s a home and we will work with them on a complete support package."

Residents at the Hope Homes will able to gain access to career training programmes as well as other skills such as English lessons.

For more information about the charity, or to volunteer or make a donation, visit www.newhope.org.uk or call 01923 227132.