SINGLE mothers turned housing activists slept rough last night in solidarity with London’s growing homeless community.

The women, members of the Focus E15 campaign, brought their sleeping bags into the Stratford Centre, a retail complex in the east London borough of Newham, after an increase in police raids on rough sleepers in the area.

Campaigners such as the group’s founder Jasmin Stone say social cleansing has taken place in the neighbourhood ever since the 2012 Olympics.

Ms Stone told the Star she was sleeping rough last night “to demand decent homes for all.

“Homelessness is increasing and homeless people are being treated disgustingly by police.

“The Stratford Centre has become at least a shelter for many homeless people, keeping them out of the rain and out of the freezing cold slightly.

“As the weather is getting colder each day, we are showing our support and solidarity to those on the street and demand decent homes for all and social housing not social cleansing.”

The Focus E15 campaign, which has been going strong for over a year, pointed out that over 400 homes lie empty in the nearby Carpenters Estate.

House prices in the capital’s eastern boroughs have skyrocketed since the construction of the Olympic Village in Newham.

Earlier this year, the average price of a home in the borough reached £300,000.

According to the Office of National Statistics, Newham is also among the three least affordable London boroughs in which to rent a home, along with Westminster and Brent.