Money raised from a charity sleepout will go towards ensuring no one has to sleep rough in Edinburgh over winter, according to organisers.

Sleep in the Park, which will be held in Edinburgh on December 9, has set a fundraising target of £4m.

The sleepout will involve around 9000 people and will include performances from A-list "buskers" such as Liam Gallagher.

The social enterprise Social Bite, which is organising the event, said £25,000 has already been donated to Bethany Christian Trust's winter care shelter.

The trust says it hopes the extra cash will mean no one will have to be turned away from its shelters at church venues.

Cameron Black, from Bethany Chistian Trust, said: "We are extremely grateful for the support that Social Bite has given to the care shelter and the hope is we won't have to turn anyone away this winter thanks to the additional funding.

"It is so very welcome in the context of the rising number of presentations over the last five winters in particular.

"The money will make a very real difference and we will have extra staff in place from the first week in December thanks to the donation."

Funds raised by the sleepout will ultimately go towards helping homeless people find permanent housing.

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, said: "I would like to thank the incredible people who have signed up to take part in Sleep in the Park, who have raised almost £2m so far.

"It's through their commitment that we're able to make this early release of funds to Bethany today which will ensure no one has to sleep rough in Edinburgh all winter due to lack of capacity."

He added: "Sleep in the Park is about bringing the people of Scotland together for one night to support a single cause.

"There is a beautiful symmetry between people from all walks of life sleeping rough for the night, while those less fortunate are able to seek warmth and shelter."