Yahoo News Homeless man found dead in tent as icy temperatures grip the UK
A homeless man has been found dead in a tent as freezing temperatures continue to grip the UK.
The body of the man, who was known locally as Ben, was discovered in a tent near St Swithun’s Church in Retford, Lincolnshire.
He was found dead in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as snow and freezing weather hit the region.
Speaking to Lincolnshire Live, Scout leader Hazel Newstead said: ‘We’re so shocked and saddened by this. He seemed to be a lovely, friendly chap.
‘He was living in a tent between a wall and the old church hall off Churchgate near our scout hut.
‘He told us he was 53 and used to be a brickie – he even offered to re-do the brickwork on our building.
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‘We used to chat to Ben over the wall. He was happy here and didn’t want to go to a shelter in Worksop.’
Local resident Kenny Roach, meanwhile, claims that Ben had just come out of hospital after suffering from pneumonia.
‘He had had his stuff pinched so I arranged to meet up with him to give him some camping gear, money and food’, he said.
‘Ben was quite comfortable where he was and didn’t want to go to Worksop. He wanted nothing to do with drugs. All he needed was a break. This is so sad.’
The man’s death is the latest in a string of tragic passings in the cold weather.
This morning, a pensioner’s body was discovered partially under a car as temperatures dropped to as low as -6c.
A 46-year-old man also died after his van collided with a lorry on the A34, while another man died after falling through a frozen pond.
