Homeless man dies in middle of Chelmsford city centre as cold snap grips UK

Joe Gamp
·Contributor, Yahoo News UK
Updated
Enfield, london. June 2018. A view of a police line ribbon in london.
Enfield, london. June 2018. A view of a police line ribbon in london.

A homeless man has died in the middle of a busy city centre following freezing temperatures of -1C overnight as a cold snap grips the UK.

Police officer attended a cemetery outside St John The Evangelist Church in Moulsham Street on Thursday morning, responding to reports that a man had died suddenly.

It is understood that the man, who has not been identified, was a rough sleeper.

The news comes as it was revealed one in every 200 people in Britain is homeless.

Shoppers during the daytime walking through the newly constructed Bond Street
Shoppers during the daytime walking through the newly constructed Bond Street

Local business owner Georgina Pierson discovered the man’s body when she was walking her dog early on Thursday morning.

She told Essex Live: "I saw him slumped over the steps by the boiler room. I said hello like I always do and he didn't move.

“I phoned the ambulance and they told me to try touching him to see if he responded and he didn't."

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A spokesperson from Essex Police told Yahoo News UK: "We were called by the ambulance service shortly before 11.20am on Thursday, December 5, with reports a man had died suddenly near St John’s Church in Moulsham Street, Chelmsford.

“His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

A statement from the East of England Ambulance service read: “We were called at 11.04am with reports of a person who was unresponsive in Moulsham Street, Chelmsford.

London, England - May 1, 2016: Three homeless people sleeping in sleeping bag in a tunnel with other empty spot marked with cardboards
London, England - May 1, 2016: Three homeless people sleeping in sleeping bag in a tunnel with other empty spot marked with cardboards

“We sent an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle. Despite our best efforts, a man sadly died at the scene.”

Homelessness continues to be a growing problem across the UK.

According to a Shelter report in 2018, at least 320,000 people are homeless in Britain.

Government figures released earlier this year showed there were 4,677 rough sleepers in England.

EMBARGOED TO 2230 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn helps to sort crates of food during a visit to Surviving the Streets in St. Leonards, East Sussex.
EMBARGOED TO 2230 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn helps to sort crates of food during a visit to Surviving the Streets in St. Leonards, East Sussex.

The sad news comes on the same day Jeremy Corbyn unveiled a package of measures that Labour will implement to end rough sleeping within five years.

This includes £100 million for emergency shelters in the coldest months and an extra £1bn a year to pay for staffing and support for the homeless.

Yahoo News has contacted Shelter and Homeless Link for comment.