Homeless camping near police station 'for safety'
BBCRough sleepers are camping near a town police station because the streets are too dangerous, a homeless man said.
Harry, not his actual name, said he was in a "desperate situation" and sleeping behind a bin in Middlesbrough before other homeless people offered him a tent near Cleveland Police Station.
He said there were "no bad people" staying at the small camp but support for them was just "not there".
A spokesperson for Middlesbrough Council said staff regularly offered support to people sleeping rough to help them move to suitable accommodation, but individuals could face a range of complex issues which required help from multiple services.
Harry said he had hit "rock bottom" but sleeping in doorways as other people were doing was "not the answer".
"It's the homeless people helping the homeless people," he said.
"I was sleeping behind a bin but they put me in a tent and it is like a five star hotel."
Harry said being closer to the police station in a tent was "better than being on the streets" and people were "adapting as best they can".
Alan Jones, the Middlesbrough manager for homeless charity Depaul UK, said sleeping rough was "terrifying".
"We see people who get attacked, have their tents burnt to the ground, and their few belongings damaged," Jones said.
"It's no wonder they're desperate to find a safe place to sleep, just somewhere they can get their head down with a little less fear.
"What you're seeing at the police station is traumatised people just desperately trying to survive the night."
He said people sleeping rough needed "real support" and long-term solutions such as safe and affordable homes.
A Middlesbrough Council spokesperson said they had received extra homelessness funding from government which was being used to employ dedicated staff at Depaul UK.
"These staff work with people facing the toughest of circumstances," the spokesperson said.
"The issues can't be resolved in isolation and require us to work with different council services and other organisations to try and get the best outcome."
