RAPPER Professor Green has visited Bournemouth today in a mission to remove controversial bars from benches that aim to stop homeless people from sleeping on them.

The musician has spoken out this week against the benches in the town as part of his campaign on homelessness.

Bournemouth-based artist Stuart Semple has just launched a website to highlight what he calls Design Against Humanity.

Driving down to Dorset, Professor Green posted to followers on Instagram about his plans to visit Bournemouth to ‘find himself a bench’.

Loading I’m going down to Bournemouth, gonna find myself a bench. #BenchMark #UNRULY View on Instagram

He later filmed himself, designer Max McMurdo and producer Richie Carr removing one of the bars from a bench outside NatWest in the Square.

They attached their own bar to the bench to show how it could be used to provide shelter for a homeless person as opposed to a deterrent.

Loading Bournemouth council - take a look at my story. Everyone else do the same! @maxreestore @richiecarr View on Instagram

Think we got the councils attention, help don’t hide homelessness @professorgreen pic.twitter.com/lsVxB3Fxnu — Max McMurdo (@maxreestore) February 1, 2018

Max, who designed the alternative bar for the bench, is the founder of Bedford-based homelessness project The Soupervan.

Enforcement officers on behalf of Bournemouth council could be seen watching the trio nearby. Police were also called.

Afterwards in his car, Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, said they had left the bench as they had found it.

"Bournemouth we hope we've helped you realise the full potential of your benches,” he said.

"At a cost of £18.50 they can become something that provides shelter for people who don't otherwise have it, rather than pushing them out and making them feel even less welcome than they already do.

"Why don't you think of solutions for homelessness instead of solutions for pushing them further out and for hiding the problem?"

When contacted about Professor Green’s actions, a spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “No offences have been identified and no action taken so police are no longer at the scene.”

A Bournemouth council spokesperson said: "We’re disappointed that musician Professor Green declined to meet our Housing Services Team whilst on his visit to Bournemouth today.

"We would have welcomed the opportunity to speak to him about the multi-agency work that goes on to prevent homelessness, and the support we provide to rough sleepers.

"Our outreach rough sleeper services run all year round engaging with rough sleepers. This service is a key part of our homelessness provision and has been in place for many years. The team engage with rough sleepers to encourage take up of support services and accommodation to help move forward in their lives.

"In an average month, they help approximately 15 rough sleepers back into accommodation. We also work very closely with support services such as drug treatment services, mental health services and social care.

"We have approximately 150 supported hostel bed spaces in the town available for people who are homeless, as well as many other projects and services, including 250 additional properties we are currently purchasing to directly house those who are homeless."

They added: "We have a significant range of homelessness services in place, but unfortunately homelessness and rough sleeping is rising nationally. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent this wherever possible and coordinate work with many other agencies in order to do so.

"We would like to clarify the work carried out on the benches was undertaken last year in response to multiple complaints made by residents, visitors and businesses concerned over the use of the benches. The total cost to carry out the work was £3650 (this included the purchase and installation costs)."