A WOMAN who created a debate over homelessness by camping in the middle of the A49 in Hereford has urged the county council to designate a piece of land for those in a similar position to live on.

Mother-of-three Samantha Lamputt set up her tent in many prominent locations across the city in a bid to draw attention to the "hidden homelessness".

She has now been given emergency accommodation in Leominster but wants the council to set aside land where homeless people can legally live.

Miss Lamputt appeared before Hereford Magistrates Court on Tuesday for breaching a criminal behaviour order, but her case was adjourned until next month.

“The publicity has been good on one hand to highlight hidden homelessness,” Miss Lamputt told the Hereford Times this week. “The council push people to hide which I refused to do.

"Their failings should not be hidden and I have done nothing wrong apart from trying to live.

“I have now got emergency accommodation for eight weeks which the council should have given me at the start.

“The council are still not providing a duty of care to a lot of people in Herefordshire. The whole system needs looking at as at the moment money is being wasted by police helping with the problem and on court proceedings.

“The council are saying you have to sleep outside but then it’s illegal to do so.

“If you need to live outside there is nowhere you legally can go as there is no amenity land in the whole of Herefordshire designated for homeless people to live on.

"I felt like a traveller as the council kept moving me on and taking my tents.”

Miss Lamputt was still working on a market stall while living on the A49 roundabout opposite Tesco and on land outside Hereford Police Station.

“All I wanted to do was live close to work as I just wanted to carry on my life routine,” she added.

“The police have helped me out a lot while I have been homeless with moving my stuff but they shouldn’t have to be doing that.

“The council took a lot of my stuff from the A49 roundabout including my work clothes and haven’t returned them.

"My work routine was also disrupted as I couldn’t use the excuse of finding somewhere to live all the time.”

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said they have made numerous attempts each week over the past several months to help and support Miss Lamputt.

“We have advised how she can access benefits and housing (benefits would be required to cover the housing cost if they have no income), however to date she has unfortunately been unwilling to accept this advice and assistance,” they added.