RESIDENTS, whose protests forced plans for a homeless hostel in Bury to be ditched, have come under fire.

Lee Rogers, the Outreach and resettlement co-ordinator for Bury Housing Concern, said that he had been working for three years to establish a hostel specially designed to give the homeless a second chance.

He told the Bury Times: "I was disappointed to hear the news that plans to build a hostel for the homeless had been scrapped after hostility from local residents.

"However, that is nothing compared to the disappointment I have for society as a whole.

"While homeless people do have their problems, the common perception seems to be that all homeless people are either drug addicts or sex offenders, and generally not the type of people you would want as a neighbour." He continued: "People become homeless for many reasons, including the breakdown of a relationship or marriage, fleeing violent partners or parents, debt, social isolation and illegal evictions by unscrupulous landlords, all of which can happen to anyone at any time. And, while some homeless people do have drug issues or offending backgrounds, leaving them on the streets and unable to access suitable accommodation and support is not the answer."

Mr Rogers said that the borough desperately needed more accommodation available to the homeless and the hostel scheme would have helped solved the problem.

He added: "At present we can ring the few B&Bs available and still not find a vacancy, forcing us to give the homeless person a blanket or sleeping bag and ask them to return the following day to try again."