A ROUGH sleeper has said homeless people in Worcester “feel like we’re being left to rot and die” after a camp was cleared by police - but a councillor has praised the move.

Ten officers cleared the 'tent town', which lies along the tow path off New Road and across the River Severn from Diglis House Hotel, on Monday morning after obtaining a dispersal order.

City and county councillor Alan Amos said: “In recent weeks, I have received a number of complaints from residents about this encampment, so I know the vast majority of law-abiding people will be welcoming its removal.”

He said the camp had been removed “belatedly" after several “disturbing” reports of public disorder, assault, drug use and antisocial behaviour.

Officers, led by Sergeant Carl Jones and accompanied by three Maggs Day Centre outreach and transition (MOAT) staff, removed around half a dozen rough sleepers from 7am.

Sgt Jones said there had been reports of a stabbing at the camp last week and rumours rough sleepers were arming themselves for defence purposes - although none of those removed had weapons on them.

Speaking to the Worcester News on Tuesday morning, near to where the camp used to stand, a 37-year-old rough sleeper called Jodie said she couldn’t understand why the campers had been driven away.

She said: “They weren’t doing anything wrong. They’ll have to go somewhere else now. We feel like we’re being left to rot and die, basically.”

She said she knew the rough sleepers who camped by the river but never stayed there herself, having been homeless for two years after losing her job.

On Tuesday, Sgt Jones said: “We had reports that a couple of people were back, but it is all clear now. Fingers crossed it will stay that way.”

Cllr Amos added: “There is no innate reason why people who claim to be homeless should be involved with disorder, assault, drugs, anti-social behaviour and more. I would have thought that genuinely homeless people would not behave like that.”