A HOMELESS man living in Malvern is “trying to rebuild” his life after all of his belongings were thrown into a pond.

Paul Standen, who is living in the shelters in Priory Park, was returning to his campsite on Saturday, October 26, when he found all of his belongings had been thrown into the pond.

He said: “I don’t understand why someone would do this.

“I have never had any problems with anyone in the seven months I’ve been here but when I got back, all my clothes and belongings were gone and someone had chucked them in the river.

“I live in the sheds in Priory Park normally but now everything has been chucked in. I went to the police and they took it down as an incident, but since then I haven’t heard anything about who might have done it.

“I just don’t understand, I’ve had no trouble with anyone and done nothing to anyone.”

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Mr Standen said he had been in touch with Caring for Communities and People (CCP), who said they would come out and try to get him some more belongings and help him to rebuild.

Councillor Natalie McVey, portfolio holder for housing on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “This is an horrendous thing for people to do, victimising a homeless person in this way. I don’t understand how callous people can be.

“We will be continuing to help him as much as we can.”

A spokesman for CCP said yesterday that "agencies including the local authority, Maggs Day Centre (MOATS Service), and CCP are making every attempt to house this person."

He added: "CCP and MOATS visited Mr Standen yesterday and provided him with bedding, clothing and food. The bedding and clothing came from the Maggs Day Centre Clothing Project and the food was from CCP via a foodbank voucher."

In September this year, Malvern Hills District Council announced it had pledged £5,000 towards setting up a branch of Maggs Day Centre in the town.

The ‘mini’ day centre in the town comes after the deaths of Joby Sparrey, a homeless man who was found in the doorway of Brays Department store last Christmas, and Remigiusz Boczarski, who had been living in a bus shelter until his death.

The Maggs Day Centre Malvern will be in the Salvation Army Hall in Newtown Road on two mornings each week, supporting homeless and vulnerable people in the area.

In December last year, councillors voted unanimously to adopt a new homelessness strategy in Malvern as part of the Worcestershire Strategic Direction for Tackling Homelessness 2018-2021.

The decision came after they heard that the number of rough sleepers in Worcester had risen from 12 to 24 causing fears there could be a similar increase in Malvern if no action is taken.

READ MORE: Major Malvern housing plan sent for public consultation