AN ANTI-AUSTERITY action group that took up residence in an abandoned building facing Blackburn’s King George’s Hall has been given the boot.

The Love Activists had been encouraging people who are homeless to stay at its ‘shelter’ in Blakey Moor – which they said they had taken over because of a legal loophole.

But they have now been turfed out by the council and police, while a 38-year-old man from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of allowing cannabis to be smoked there.

He was later bailed until Wednesday, September 9, pending further inquiries.

A police spokesman said: “The group, calling themselves the Love Activists, had been residing at 21 to 25 Blakey Moor for the past two weeks.

“Thursday afternoon’s action means significant police resources to remove the squatters have been negated.”

The group had been behind the occupation of the old Bank of England building in Liverpool earlier this year.

The occupation, which lasted for several weeks, ended in May after police launched an early morning raid.

Group member Brad Henderson said they had been “taking advantage” of a requirement in the temporary accommodation laws which forces councils to contact the building’s owner in order to obtain an eviction notice.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council went to court and got a full possession order, allowing police to go in.

Mark Aspin, the council’s community safety manager, said: “We are very supportive of anyone who is having genuine housing difficulties and or is homeless.”