A homeless Glasgow man has lost the little possessions he owned after his tent was allegedly set on fire. John, a former soldier, had been camping in a park near Sandyford Henderson memorial church.
It's understood he had been there for five months and during his time there he gave the park a makeover by adding new planters, plant pots, fairy lights and toys for children to play with.
However, he has now been driven out of the park, on Kelvinhaugh Street, after his tent was allegedly burnt along with his books, clothes and the small amount of cash he had.
Local resident Natalie was in the park on Sunday, June 18 when she came across a sign, which read: "Burning a homeless guys tent down. Ahh, yir a big hard man eh. Shame on you. Thing is hard man, you are two forced decisions from homelessness yourself."
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The 40-year-old spoke of her anger and disgust. "To burn his tent down like that is just disgusting. I am absolutely disgusted and shocked.", she told Glasgow Live.
Natalie added: "He was at Byres Road sitting on the street for money. When he came back his tent was burnt, luckily he wasn’t in it.
"I got talking to John and he said he will never sleep in a tent again because he is too scared. It would have been quite a protective place for him so it was so sad."
She says John will need to find a doorway to sleep in after his tent was burnt to the ground - and fears for him when the winter arrives.
Natalie said: "It made him feel unsafe and he will never have a tent again. That protection, security and comfort has been taken away from him.
"I’m thinking about what’s going to happen when the weather turns and he won’t even have the protection of a tent because he is scared.
"He hardly has anything and you have taken everything from him now. Whoever did this should be ashamed of themselves.
"He was trying to make his own surroundings look nicer and homely, it’s been taken away from him."
Sandyford Henderson memorial church confirmed John had been in the park for several weeks.
A spokesperson said: "He had been around the park tidying up the areas which was seemingly appreciated by all passers by, however, one day everything was smashed up and the area in disarray.
"John returned and began to tidy up then something else happened and he disappeared."
