Homeless man hurt after tent ‘set on fire’

A ROUGH sleeper’s tent in Cardiff was allegedly set on fire with him inside it.

The man allegedly escaped with minor burns to his hand, but all his belongings are gone.

Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed it attended an incident in Queen Street at about 1.35pm on Monday.

A statement said: “We responded with an emergency ambulance and one patient was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.”

South Wales Police has been contacted for comment.

Rough sleepers are seeking shelter in tents in locations throughout Cardiff city centre.

Latest figures show there were 68 rough sleepers in Cardiff between July and September (quarter two 2018/19).

Shelter Cymru estimates at least 4,547 people were affected by homelessness in Cardiff in 2017/18.

Cold weather provision for the homeless in Cardiff began earlier this month, providing more than 90 additional spaces on top of the 216 hostel places for single homeless people, 78 emergency beds, and 390 supported accommodation units that are available throughout the year.

Community group Left Outside Alone is organising a protest on Sunday at 3pm near the Aneurin Bevan Statue in Queen Street about the rising numbers of homeless people and the “continued theft of their belongings”.