We are grateful for what we've had in life but the only reason for that was we were born at the right time in the right places Viv Jones, with husband Eric

The nightstop scheme, the first of its kind in south Wales, aims to offer 16-25-year-olds a safe place to stay.

Those willing to offer a room in their home start their training this weekend.

Organisers said B&Bs were not suitable for low-risk young people and have appealed for people with a spare room for a night to sign up.

James Phillips, of the Trothwy Cyf charity, which is running the project with council funding, said youth homelessness was an escalating problem in the largely rural area of Carmarthenshire.

"The ethos of the scheme is to reduce the number of vulnerable people being sent to bed and breakfast accommodation," he explained.

"The last thing you want to do is send low-risk young people to bed and breakfasts where they could be mixing with older people with multiple needs."

Hot meal

In the last financial year 644 16 to 25-year-olds presented themselves as homeless in Carmarthenshire.

Mr Phillips said those between 16 - 25 would be offered a room for the night, a hot evening meal, breakfast and toiletry bag. These people are low-risk, as they do not have drink, drug or other problems.

The hosts would all be from an approved list and would have undergone criminal record checks and training.

These are exceptional people doing something exceptional James Phillips

Eric and Viv Jones, who have retired to a house on the outskirts on Ponthenry in the Gwendraeth Valley, have volunteered to join the scheme.

Both have a teaching background and worked as volunteers with the homeless in Croydon before moving to Wales.

Mrs Jones said: "A lot of them are youngsters and some of the time it's because they have not the kind of start in life that we both had.

"We are grateful for what we've had in life but the only reason for that was we were born at the right time in the right places.

"Some of these youngsters have been abandoned or the parents, not necessarily through any fault of their own, did not bring them up well."

Mr Jones admitted some people would see it as a risk to open their homes to strangers.

But he added: "You've got to think of it from the youngsters' point of view. They are coming here and they don't know us and it's very scary for them.

"We've been very lucky in life and if we can help someone else it is something we would enjoy."

Mr Phillips said 12 volunteers had signed-up to date with the aim of launching the scheme on 3 November.