A homeless man died on the floor of a packed shelter on Christmas Eve, a charity has revealed.

The man, called Christopher, reportedly died from “natural causes” at a homeless shelter in London after fellow guests alerted staff at around 11am.

Ros Ponder, a worker for homelessness charity Crisis, described the incident in a Facebook post and said the man had been left with "nowhere else to go".

“On Christmas Eve a guest died in our homeless shelter. He lay down under a blanket on the floor in the sleeping area and never got up again,” she wrote.

“In breaking the news to our volunteers and guests I said that it was a gentle death. He died of natural causes. The paramedics, police, fellow guests and volunteers did everything they could to keep him alive and respect his dignity.

“He was somewhere warm and dry with people who cared. At least he wasn’t out on the street.”

Ms Ponder said she was left “bloody angry” that the man, who was in his sixties, took his “last breath in a place like this - on the floor of a sports hall, in a makeshift dormitory shared with 130 other people who had nowhere else to go.”

Jon Sparkes, chief executive at Crisis, confirmed “with great sadness” the man’s death.

“Christopher, a man in his sixties, died peacefully in his sleep at a Crisis at Christmas centre in London, where he’d been receiving hot food, warmth and companionship,” he told the Evening Standard.

“Fellow guests raised the alarm with volunteers at around 11am. Staff immediately called paramedics who arrived swiftly and did everything they could to save his life.

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“However, Christopher was tragically pronounced dead from natural causes.

“Christopher died peacefully, in a warm and safe environment under the care of our staff and volunteers."

Ms Ponder, whose Facebook post has been shared more than 24,000 times, compared the incident to “living in Victorian times”.

She wrote: “We’re a nation that spends more than £78bn on Christmas food, gifts and parties... and yet more and more people are living on our streets - curled up in doorways, on buses, park benches, even in dustbins.”

The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto

The charity worker urged more people to donate to homeless charities and to “shout at your local MP” in 2018.

“Let’s all try a bit harder to put an end to this s**t,” she added.

According to housing charity Shelter, more than 300,000 people - equivalent to a city the size of Newcastle – are now categorised as homeless in Britain.