A HOMELESS man in a makeshift camp is living in danger of being attacked while authorities decide what to do, park volunteers claim.

Eileen Elton and her friend Nina Parish have been calling on City of London Corporation (CoCL), Redbridge, and Newham Council to take responsibility for the illegal camp on land just outside Wanstead Park since October 2015.

The authorities spent months squabbling over who was responsible for the land, as it lies on the boundary of all three, between the CoCL cemetery and Ilford Golf Course.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

After going to the Government’s Land Registry office in December, Redbridge Council was exposed as the responsible party.

But despite promises to “lead the eviction of the rough sleeper and clearance of the camp in January”, both are still there – and growing in size.

The camp has at least doubled since the Guardian first visited it in November and is full of old furniture, white goods, and children’s toys.

Up to four men are believed to be living there, filling the camp with more and more things people pay them to take away from their homes.

Ms Elton, of Empress Avenue, Aldersbrook, said: “The whole thing is farcical now.

“The amount of stuff here is ridiculous, it’s going to cost the council so much money to get rid of.

“Why is this just sitting on someone’s desk while the camp gets bigger and the Polish man is in danger of being attacked?

“He says the camp was torched again last month, and his Moroccan friend has barricaded himself in because he’s been attacked three times.

“He clearly wants to be helped, but they just don’t seem to be doing anything.”

A letter from CoCL’s director of open spaces to Ms Elton’s MP John Cryer states the council planned to clear the camp on January 26, but could not go through with it when they found “three or four men living there”.

It said: “The men are all homeless and have a combination of physical and mental health needs.

“This has prompted Redbridge to apply its homelessness protocol, which requires the assessment and placement of all occupants prior to removal of their camp.

“While the assessment continues, there is currently no planned eviction or clearance date.”

A council spokesman said while it has a duty to try to help the homeless men, “it can take time and a number of site visits”.

They said: “This outreach work has been ongoing during the past few weeks and we have worked closely with our partners in other statutory services and voluntary groups to try to offer support to the individuals in question.

“This includes work to identify the people, their circumstances, if they are known to us, and what support they are eligible for.

“Obviously for this to be successful the individuals need to engage with us.”

When the Guardian spoke to one of the men he said: “I am cold, I take showers in the river.

“The council comes, the police come, everyone comes, but I am still here.”

Ms Elton added: “He just wants a warm room, somewhere he can wash, sleep, and eat.

“A man on his bike brings him food the supermarkets have thrown out every day, but he needs proper help.

“All this time he’s being 'assessed' he’s at risk of being attacked.

“We want the camp cleared and to have our nice park back again, but we want him to be safe and get the treatment he needs.

“The homeless team just don’t seem to be doing anything, and meanwhile he’s still here.”

The council spokesman said once it has “successfully offered support, individuals will be given notice to move on and clearing of the site will follow”.