BANK executives will swap their comfortable beds for sleeping bags when they spend a night “sleeping rough” to raise money for homeless people in the region.

For the second year running, senior staff from Durham-based Atom Bank will join a Chief Executive Sleepout at St James’ Park in Newcastle next week.

Last year, the team raised more than £10,000 towards the total of £80,000.

Money raised will be split between Changing Lives, the Newcastle United Foundation and CEO Sleepout UK, all supporting people who are currently homeless and preventing other people from facing a life on the streets.

Atom Bank’s chief executive Mark Mullen said: “We were overwhelmed with the amount of support we received last year and felt it necessary to take part again.

“The money that is raised stays in the community helping local people before they become homeless or helping them back into safe and secure accommodation.

“Homeless people are at risk on the streets, so taking part in the CEO Sleepout brought this home and the fact that Newcastle raised the most last year outside of London is a credit to businesses and people across the region.”