Moonlight tent crushing mystery hits homeless in Milton Keynes

Homeless people have told how their tents have been ripped from under them and their possessions crushed in the back of bin lorries.

The Citizen listened to accounts of heartless actions by city officials – despite the council’s promise not to destroy the pitiful tent communities.

Over the past week, at least seven people say they have been victim of middle of the night tent “raids”.

“About half a dozen official-looking people came along after 11pm and pulled us out of our tents, gathered up all our possessions and threw everything – including the tents – in the back of a bin lorry,” said one victim.

Another told how he begged in vain for the officials to let him keep his most precious possession – a photo of his parents, who are both dead.

Milton Keynes Council deny emphatically they are involved in the raids, which are illegal unless a 28 day eviction notice is served.

They say council contractors are instructed only to remove empty tents.

The homeless community has now vowed to discover the evictors’ identity.

“They can’t do this to us,” said one man. “It is inhumane and terrifying.

“Most of us move our tents on every day and choose quiet, dark places where we can’t be found. I even know of someone who lives in bushes in the middle of a busy roundabout,” he said.

Ricky Oates, MK’s ambassador for homeless people: “The homeless people who have only a tent for a house are being treated like vermin. They deserve help – not to be herded away and crushed.”