Reported in the Eastern Daily Press

31st December 2009

A group of men found living in a tent in a Norfolk town may return to living under canvas when their emergency accommodation runs out in the new year, despite the fact that a man died of suspected hypo-thermia.

The body of Polish man Mariusz Fidos, 33, was found at Barnham Common, in Thetford, five days before Christmas. He had been sleeping rough in the area with other men, including his twin brother Piotr.

From a post-mortem examination, early indications are that Mr Fidos died from hypothermia.

It remains unclear how long the men had been staying in the area, but there are reports they had been there for several weeks.

After Mr Fidos's death, Breckland Council placed the other men in free emergency accommodation and, with temperatures set to plunge again at the end of this week, extended its offer until the new year.

When that runs out, however, the men will then either have to start paying or find alternative shelter.

A council statement said it has offered the men advice and support services "relevant to their needs", and that they had been offered travel to their home country.

The statement added that the men had told the council they did not wish to take this offer up and would return to their tents.

The council added that unless they had been in work, or were currently employed, they would not be entitled to benefits.

However, Peter Smith, Labour parliamentary candidate for South West Norfolk, said the men should be given more help by the council.

"What they offered was 'shall we ship you back home?' and the fact remains Breckland has no accommodation for homeless people," he said.

"There's a lot more they [Breckland Council] could do. My feeling is Breckland hope it will all go away, but the issue is if they're going to go back into a tent, it's their [the council's] responsibility to keep an eye on them."

Last week, Mr Smith wrote to Norfolk's Chief Constable calling for an urgent inquiry to be launched.

A spokeswoman for Breckland Council yesterday confirmed a group of men were visited by the council in October after it was notified of tents in the Nun's Bridge area.

But she added: "At the time of this visit, the camp was being broken up and the men did not divulge where they were going to.

"The council offered services to the men and later that day three of the men visited the council's advice surgery in Thetford.

"One of these men then found work and another accessed benefits. One of the men who visited the surgery in October is one of those currently being assisted with emergency accommodation."

She added that the council has a draft policy for rough sleepers in severe weather conditions, which they were already operating within.

An inquest into the death of Mr Fidos was opened and adjourned to a later date.