Homeless people left without water as 'hellish' heatwave hits
13.08.2022 - 10:03
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Rough sleepers have described being attacked in the street - and their battle for water during the 'hellish' heatwave. Mark Gilmour says he was beaten up by a drink-fuelled yob in Salford as the sweltering temperatures 'bring out the idiots'.
Others across Manchester city centre describe going for hours without water as they scramble for shade under archways and outside shops. It comes as the boss of one the city’s major homelessness charities warned this week’s heatwave could be 'just as deadly' as a freezing winter’s night.
Big Issue seller Mr Gilmour told the Manchester Evening News : "The hot weather kind of brings all the idiots out and when they've had a few drinks they can get aggressive and try and give you a hiding."
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He added: "It happened to me." Greater Manchester and large parts of England are almost halfway through a four-day 'extreme heat' spell, with the Met Office issuing an amber weather warning.
Temperatures hit 31C in our region on Thursday (August 11), and will hover around the 30-mark until Sunday. Mr Gilmour, who has now been off the streets for over three years, added that it was becoming increasingly difficult for homeless people to find places to get water and a decent meal.
He said: "Over the years, more and more places and charities where you can get a meal and a drink have closed down. If you’re living on the street nowadays you’re more reliant on Joe Public and private individuals."
He added that the pandemic had also made it 'harder to make a living than it used to be' as the number of commuters and potential Big Issue buyers had gone down with more people now working from home.
Some rough
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