THE Edinburgh sleepout event is set to raise £4m to help tackle homelessness in Scotland, its organisers said.
Stars signed up to perform at the Sleep in the Park event to end rough sleeping and homelessness in Scotland, included Liam Gallagher, Deacon Blue, Amy Macdonald and Frightened Rabbit.
John Cleese performed a bedtime story while Sir Bob Geldof slept out and addressed the audience.
Event organiser Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite which helps the homeless through cafes, a restaurant and fundraising events, said he was "humbled" by the support.
He said: "It looks like we're going to have about 8,000 people come and sleep out which is mind-blowing really for a country like Scotland, a small country, to get behind a cause like that.
"That's going to translate to somewhere in the region of between £3 million and £4 million that's going to be raised. It's an absolutely incredible result and I'm really humbled by it."
He said the famous names lend "excitement" to the occasion but people had turned up for the cause of tackling homelessness rather than as music fans.
He added: "This concept of sleeping in the cold is such a daunting thing in people's mind that it trumps Liam Gallagher and it trumps anyone else, but it just helps lend that level of excitement and gets people engaged in the issue, so we're really grateful for everyone that's turned out to support."
Deputy First Minister John Swinney was also one of thousands of people who slept out in freezing conditions in Scotland's capital to raise money to tackle homelessness.
Thousands braved icy temperatures and spent the night in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens as part of "the world's biggest sleepout".
Mr Swinney, Communities Secretary Angela Constance and Housing Minister Kevin Stewart also spent the night in the gardens.
Mr Littlejohn said he hoped the event would lead to a structural change in homelessness in Scotland to the Housing First model, following pledges that around 475 homes for homeless people will be provided across the central belt by the EdIndex Partnership and Wheatley Group.
He said: "That's almost 500 homes in the central belt alone that have been offered and that's going to get people out of sleeping rough, out of hostels and out of the homeless system and give something that we all take for granted, which is a stable place to call home."
He said the charity would fund a support package for those in the new homes and it has already donated £25,000 of sleepout cash to fund extra capacity at a winter care shelter.
Amy Macdonald said: "It seems absolutely ludicrous that in 2017 that people are still sleeping out on the streets. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to stop. Hopefully the money goes a long way to try and help that.
"It's just crazy in this day and age, it shouldn't happen any more and it's really great that there are charities like Social Bite willing to try and help, and try and make a difference."
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