A WARRANT to evict caged protester Chris Tague has been issued - and he has been warned to clear out all his personal possessions before midnight on Sunday. His neighbour on Morecambe's Parliament Street, cancer sufferer James Howard, has received the same notice ordering him to leave his home before council officers come to take possession of it. The properties are set to be demolished to make way for a new carpark and children's playground as part of the West End regeneration project.

Lancaster City Council urgently needs to begin work on the site or face losing Government funding for the scheme.

But Mr Tague, 28, who has been living in an iron cage built inside his bedroom to avoid being ousted from the house, has vowed he won't leave before the deadline.

He said: "They won't get me out on Monday, there's no chance, so I haven't made any contingency plans."

Mr Howard, who has been offered £45,000 for his house - around half the amount he claims it is worth, has issued a statement slamming the council for going ahead with the evictions.

He said: "It was stated at the start that the council hoped to proceed without the need to enforce the compulsory purchase powers. Yet certain owners, who have always been willing to sell, have been marked down for acquisition by compulsory purchase where negotiations have broken down.

"After two and a half years I've been offered a valuation that is equal to the refurbishment of the toilets at Bare, near Happy Mount Park. I have been given seven days in which to make up my mind to vacate my business and home."

He went on to accuse the council of playing Russian Roulette with his life and declared: "I live in fear of losing my health, business and home, and all because no-one would listen.

The council's Medical Advisor visited Mr Howard on Friday March 16 to evaluate the effect an eviction would have on his health, but this has not prevented a warrant being issued ordering him to leave on Sunday.

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