WEST DORSET: The decision to ask a homeless man to move on from Holy Trinity Church in Bothenhampton has been defended after uproar on social media.

The man, believed to be in his 50s, had been sleeping in the church porch but was asked to move on by the churchwarden last weekend after a notice was put up at the church.

It stated: “To the homeless person who has been residing in the porch of this church: I regret that you must now move on and take your belongings with you as it is not possible for you to stay here any longer.

“Your belongings are safely stored; if you wish them please ring me and I will get them for you.

“You can obtain help from the Bridport CAB on South Street.

“Regretfully if you remain then unfortunately the authorities will be informed.”

Since a picture of the letter was shared on Facebook this week the man has been inundated with help from the community, but the picture also sparked uproar and criticism of the church and the churchwarden.

The churchwarden, who did not wish to be named after he was threatened on Facebook, said he wished to help the man not hinder him. He said: “When I mentioned the authorities I meant the Bridport CAB.

“It has all been blown out of proportion.”

Bridport Team Rector, The Rev Canon Andrew Evans, said the churchwarden acted perfectly properly by asking the man to move on.

He said: “The man in question was a wayfarer; someone who is 100 per cent homeless by choice.

“These people can often have mental health, drink or drug issues and it’s important people know the facts.

“Churches deal with these people all the time and we have to ask them to move on; churches are working buildings.

“If you want to help the homeless then raise money for a shelter, come and help at the food bank, write to our MP – but the bottom line is wayfarers are homeless by choice.

“We have had a physical threat to the churchwarden on Facebook which is completely unacceptable; we will be following this up with the police “I especially deplore the comments, after the events in Paris last week, that someone thought the warden, who is a volunteer and doing his job, should be shot.”

HOMELESS PEOPLE TRY TO STEAL FOOD FROM HOMES

THE news comes after two incidents of home- less people trying to steal food from West Dorset homes.

At 5.40pm on Thursday, January 1, police said two men had been challenged by a resident in Crock Lane, Bothen-hampton when he noticed a light shining in his garden shed.

The owner went into the house to get a torch and found two men in their 20s attempting to fill a bag with frozen food.

Both men left empty-handed and pleaded with the owner not to call the police saying they were homeless.

And shortly after 6pm on the same day, two men had also been disturbed by the owner of another property in Crock Lane when she heard the sound of the French doors being opened.

When she called out to see who was there, the woman noticed two figures walking away.

Nothing was stolen and police believe the men to be the same ones involved in the attempted theft of food from the nearby shed earlier that evening.