More than 10,000 people are expected to sleep beneath the stars across the country this weekend to raise money to tackle homelessness.

Following the success of last year's Sleep in the Park in Edinburgh, the event is being expanded to include sites in Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Organisers Social Bite aim to raise a similar total to last year - around £4m.

Some of this helped to create the Social Bite village in Edinburgh's Granton area.

Built on a gap site and run in partnership with homelessness charity Cyrenians, it offers former rough sleepers a fresh start.

Alistair Harris, who found himself on the streets after losing his job and becoming estranged from his family, is among the 18 residents.

But since moving there two months ago, he has found work and is confident about the future.

"The scenery is amazing, the people are really nice, easy to talk to. The staff are amazing," he told STV News.

"I had nothing before and now I've got everything - and it's all thanks to them."

The village complex, which has capacity for 20 people, has a large communal space allowing residents to cook and socialise together. They each have a key worker to support their individual needs.

Manager Kathy Hoyle said the difference she sees in people who come to stay is remarkable, adding: "They've often come from a really difficult background - sort of situations where they're quite scared, they're on edge all the time... And then they come in here, and after a few weeks it's just sort of relaxing, and relief."

But many others are still facing a bleak future on the streets.

The money raised from this weekend's events - which will feature appearances by Scots stars including musicians Amy McDonald and KT Tunstall and author Irvine Welsh - will go to helping people like Michelle.

It will feed into a major housing project backed by the Scottish Government, which has set up a £50m fund to tackle homelessness focusing on rapid re-housing and tailored support.

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, said: "In Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Stirling, 830 flats have been pledged for people, primarily rough sleepers, to have the opportunity to get their own flat and have their own wraparound support, and start to make a significant inroad into the issue."