Rough sleepers return to notorious North Circular camp weeks after eviction notice served

Abandoned: Mattresses under the overpass before August's eviction (Picture: Metropolitan Police) @MPSEnfield
@MPSEnfield
Robin de Peyer1 October 2015

Rough sleepers have returned to a notorious camp under the busy North Circular road weeks after the site was cleared when an eviction notice was served.

A group is believed to have returned to live under the Cooks Ferry Flyover between Chingford and Upper Edmonton in north-east London in recent weeks.

Tents and mattresses have been seen lining the underside of the bridge, with cooking utensils also spotted at the site.

It comes weeks after landowner Thames Water – in conjunction with homelessness charity Thames Reach – served an eviction notice at the site in August after up to 40 people were seen living there.

Squalid: Thames Water secured an eviction order and cleared the site in August (Picture: Metropolitan Police)
‏@MPSEnfield

Thames Reach described the conditions as “risky” and offered support to rough sleepers cleared from the area at the time.

A Thames Water spokeswoman said today: “We were made aware of this, this week and we’re currently investigating the location.”

Victor Corbett, 33, has seen the group as he carried out repair works on his canal boat in recent weeks.

He told the Chingford Guardian: "In the morning, you see them putting up the tents.

"I see them regularly and when they go to Wickes to try and get work.

"They don't speak any English, just ask for cigarettes.

"They also seem to have a couple of dogs."

A spokesman for Thames Reach said: “Thames Reach’s outreach teams are investigating the rough sleeping site on the north circular and offering support to anybody found there.

“Thames Reach is coordinating its activities with local authority services and policing teams and will make staff available when the site is closed down in a bid to offer support to the people sleeping rough – in recognition that these sites can also cause problems for local communities.”

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