THE BODY of a rough sleeper was discovered in a Wombwell field following freezing temperatures earlier this week.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, was found at 3.15pm on Monday in a field off Dovecliffe Road, near Wombwell Woods.
Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and it’s understood enquiries are underway to try and identify the man.
Once his identity is confirmed, a post-mortem into the exact cause of death will be carried out, but the Chronicle understands the cold weather - with temperatures plunging to below freezing for much of the last week - is a possible cause.
The news sparked anger, with politicians and homeless people insisting people should not be quirte literally freezing to death.
Dan Jarvis MP said: “It is awful news that a rough sleeper has died in Barnsley. It is simply appalling and totally unacceptable that in 2018 people are dying because they have nowhere to live. We need a complete overhaul of the criteria used to assess who is entitled to help because every person deserves a home.
“This week I visited Roundabout, a charity in Sheffield who are doing amazing work supporting homeless young people right across South Yorkshire. Rough sleeping has more than doubled in recent years.
“We urgently need a comprehensive plan, which brings together national and local government, the new Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, and the charitable sector, in order to tackle it.”
Barnsley East MP Stephanie Peacock said: “I’m deeply saddened to hear this terrible news. It is a national scandal that so many people are now homeless and sleeping rough.
“No one should die because they have nowhere to live. We all must work to make sure that terrible events such as this are never repeated.”
Tony Simpson works with the homeless and rough sleepers as part of a weekly street kitchen and food drop-in in Barnsley town centre.
He said he was sadly not surprised to learn of the death.
“I’m really more surprised that there has been only one,” he told the Chronicle.
“It is unbelievable the conditions they are living in out there, where they are sitting outside absolutely frozen. And there are two or three who have dogs and they would wrap them up rather than themselves. They are wearing four or five layers of clothing just to survive, not only through the night but through the day too.
“In the cemetery on Cemetery Road there are 20 people living there at night, in and amongst the graves, wrapped up in tents we’ve supplied.
“It is a hard situation. And a lot of the people out there want to be on the streets and can’t handle anything else because they have been that long on.”
Tony said the street kitchen provided almost 100 breakfasts on Wednesday morning to those in need in Barnsley.
“Anybody who knows someone in need can tell them we run breakfasts on Wednesday mornings from the old Team Katalyst base on Peel Parade, and a food station every night during the week at Temperance Hall.”
Homeless charity Shelter said weather was just one of the factors rough sleepers have to contend with on a daily basis.
Shelter boss Polly Neate said: “We are very sad to hear of the tragic death of a man in Barnsley. Rough sleepers have to endure harsh weather, poor health, regular abuse and even violence. Tragically many rough sleepers will die younger as a result. And yet homelessness continues to rise.
“We need to do more to help people in this terrible situation, and we must do more to prevent homelessness in the first place. That means tackling the lack of genuinely affordable homes and welfare cuts, which are at the root of this crisis.”
Barnsley Council’s website states that anyone sleeping rough is offered overnight accommodation during severe weather, classified as when the temperature falls below or feels colder than zero degrees.
To help rough sleepers, the council’s housing team can be contacted on 773870 during office hours, or 08449 841800 out of hours.
To help rough sleepers, the council’s housing team can be contacted on 773870 during office hours, 08449 841800 during out of office hours on contact national service Streetlink on streetlink.force.com, which connects those in need to relevant local services.
People can also go to the Barnsley Civic offices on Eldon Street where they can make a referral if it is cold weather.
